Information processing control device

ABSTRACT

An information processing device that includes a display, a touch panel that detects a gesture operation, a memory that stores a correlation between each of a plurality of effects that can be applied to an object displayed on the display and one of a plurality of gesture operations, and a processor that applies one of the plurality of effects that corresponds to the detected gesture operation to an object displayed on the display, and controls the display to display the object to which the one of the plurality effects is applied.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 13/405,483, filedFeb. 27, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein byreference. U.S. Ser. No. 13/405,483 claims the benefit of priority under119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/474,806 filedon Apr. 13, 2011.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an information processing controldevice including a touch panel, whereby instructions at the time ofsubjecting a selected object such as a desired character string or thelike to desired decoration, editing, or the like can be given by auser's operations onto the touch panel thereof

2. Description of Related Art

In recent years, an information processing device in which a touch panelincluding a transparent touch detection surface (touch screen) isdisposed, for example, so as to cover generally the entire screen of adisplay screen has been commercialized. With this touch panel, there canbe detected the contact position, the number of contact points, contactduration, the movement direction and movement speed of the finger or thelike in a contact state, movement path, and so forth at the time of theuser's finger or the like coming into contact with the touch detectionsurface thereof. Note that, with the following description, an operationwherein the user contacts a finger or the like onto the touch detectionsurface of the touch panel, an operation for moving a finger or the likein a state in contact, and so forth will be referred to as gestureoperations collectively.

With a conventional information processing device including such a touchpanel, for example, in the event that a desired character stringdisplayed within the display screen is subjected to decoration, forexample, such as changing the color, size, style, or the like, the useroperates this information processing control device in accordance withthe following procedures.

First, the user operates the information processing device to activate,for example, a text editor (including HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)editors and mailers), and then to specify a desired character stringusing range selection or the like. Here, the range selection isperformed by a gesture operation or the like, for example, such that afinger or the like is slid in a state in contact with the touch panelcorresponding to the display position of the desired character string.That is to say, upon detecting a slide gesture operation on the touchpanel, the information processing device determines that the characterstring displayed on the position corresponding to the slide path on thetouch panel by the gesture operation thereof has been selected by theuser.

Next, the user operates the information processing device to specifydecoration content to be subjected as to the character string specifiedby the range selection or the like. Here, specification of thedecoration content is performed by the user selecting a desired menuitem or icon out of a list of multiple menu items corresponding tovarious types of decoration content, or a list of multiple iconscorresponding to various types of decoration content, or the like.Specifically, the information processing device in this case displays alist of menu items and items on the display screen, and upon detecting agesture operation wherein above the touch panel correspond to thesedisplay positions is touched by a finger or the like over a short periodof time, determines that the decoration content corresponding to themenu item or icon displayed on the touch position in the gestureoperation has been selected by the user.

Thus, the information processing device subjects the desired characterstring specified by the range selection to decoration according to thedecoration content specified by selection of the menu item or icon, anddisplays this on the display screen.

SUMMARY

Incidentally, with the conventional information processing deviceincluding a touch panel, in the event of subjecting a desired characterstring within the display screen to decoration, the user has to specify,as described above, a desired decoration content by an operation such asselecting a desired menu item or the like from a list such as menu itemscorresponding to various decoration contents.

In the event of specifying a desired decoration content using a listsuch as such menu items, the user has to perform a task wherein the userconfirms, according to these respective menu items, which decorationcontent can be specified by his/her sight, and also confirms the displayposition of a menu item or the like corresponding to the desireddecoration content thereof, and accurately touches on the displayposition thereof. Specifically, the user has to perform various taskssuch as a confirmation task of the decoration content, a confirmationtask of the display position of a menu item corresponding to thedecoration content thereof, and accurately touching on this displayposition, and accordingly, his/her burden is large.

Accordingly, regarding an information processing device including atouch panel on a display screen, at the time of a selected object suchas a desired character string displayed on the display screen to desireddecoration, the inventor recognizes the necessity of greatly reducingthe user's burden by reducing his/her tasks, and further the necessityof performing improvement so as to subject a character string or thelike to decoration in a more intuitive manner by taking advantage of theproperties of the device called a touch panel.

According to a first exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is directed toan information processing device that includes a display, a touch panelthat detects a gesture operation, a memory that stores a correlationbetween each of a plurality of effects that can be applied to an objectdisplayed on the display and one of a plurality of gesture operations,and a processor that applies one of the plurality of effects thatcorresponds to the detected gesture operation to an object displayed onthe display, and controls the display to display the object to which theone of the plurality effects is applied.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is directed toa method performed by an information processing apparatus. The methodincludes storing, in a memory of the information processing apparatus, acorrelation between each of a plurality of effects applied to an objectdisplayed on a display and one of a plurality of gesture operations,detecting, by a touch panel of the information processing apparatus, agesture operation, applying, by a processor of the informationprocessing apparatus, one of the plurality of effects that correspondsto the detected gesture operation to an object displayed on the display,and controlling, by the processor, the display to display the object towhich the one of the plurality effects is applied.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is directed toa non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-programinstructions, which when executed by an information processingapparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform amethod. The method comprising storing a correlation between each of aplurality of effects applied to an object displayed on a display and oneof a plurality of gesture operations, detecting a gesture operation at atouch panel of the information processing apparatus, applying one of theplurality of effects that corresponds to the detected gesture operationto an object displayed on the display, and controlling the display todisplay the object to which the one of the plurality effects is applied.

Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the eventof desiring to subject the user's desired selected object on the screento signal processing such as the user's desired decoration or the like,it is sufficient for the user to perform a gesture operation correlatedwith the desired decoration thereof, and accordingly, the user does nothave to perform a conventional troublesome task such as selection of amenu or icon, or the like. Thus, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, the user can subject a desired object such as acharacter string or the like to desired decoration or the like by a verysmall task and also small burden equivalent to simply performing agesture operation correlated with desired decoration or the like. Also,according to an embodiment of the present invention, the properties ofthe device called a touch panel can be taken advantage of, andaccordingly, the user can subject an object such as a character stringor the like to decoration or the like using a more intuitive task.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic internalconfiguration example of a personal digital assistant according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram giving an example wherein the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment is in a document creationand editing mode, a lateral-writing sentence is displayed on a characterdisplay area of a display screen, and the sentence thereof is in a stateof being created or an editable state.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a user has selected adesired character string from the sentence on the character display areaof the display screen at the personal digital assistant according thepresent embodiment, whereby this desired character string has been takenas a selected latter string.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating correlation between a gesture operationthat the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentcan detect on a specified area, and a decoration content to be subjectedas to a selected object according the gesture operation thereof whenchanging to an object editing decoration mode at the time of thedocument creation and editing mode.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, apinch-in operation in the vertical direction has been performed on thespecified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with the font size beingreduced.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, apinch-out operation in the vertical direction has been performed on thespecified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with the font size beingenlarged.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, adrag operation beginning from the specified area toward the left edge ofthe display screen has been performed, whereby the selected characterstring within the character display area has been displayed with leftjustification.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, adrag operation beginning from the specified area toward the right edgeof the display screen has been performed, whereby the selected characterstring within the character display area has been displayed with rightjustification.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, adrag operation beginning from the specified area toward the center ofthe display screen has been performed, whereby the selected characterstring within the character display area has been displayed withcentering.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, aflick operation in the left direction has been performed on thespecified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with left scrolling.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, aflick operation in the right direction has been performed on thespecified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with right scrolling.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, aZ-shaped flick operation in the horizontal direction has been performedon the specified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with both-way scrolling.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, adouble click operation has been performed on the specified area, wherebythe selected character string within the character display area has beendisplayed with blinking.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, apinch-out operation in the horizontal direction has been performed onthe specified area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been displayed with bold characters.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, aparallel movement operation in the horizontal direction has beenperformed on the specified area by multi-touch, whereby the selectedcharacter string within the character display area has been displayed initalics.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, arotating operation and a pinch-in operation/pinch-out operation havebeen performed on the specified area by multi-touch, whereby the hue andsaturation of the selected character string within the character displayarea have been changed.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a circular region representing the hueand saturation of HSV space to be set at the time of a rotatingoperation and a pinch-in operation/pinch-out operation being performedon the specified area by multi-touch in the object edging decorationmode at the time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 18 is a diagram used for correlated description between therotating angle and hue at the time of a rotating operation and apinch-in operation/pinch-out operation being performed on the specifiedarea by multi-touch in the object edging decoration mode at the time ofthe document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 19 is a diagram used for correlated description between themovement distance and saturation at the time of a rotating operation anda pinch-in operation/pinch-out operation being performed on thespecified area by multi-touch in the object edging decoration mode atthe time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating correlation between a gestureoperation that the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment can detect on a dedicated area, and the content of editing tobe subjected as to the selected object according to the gestureoperation thereof when changing to the object editing decoration mode atthe time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a state after the user has specified adesired character string as a selected character string out of alateral-writing sentence displayed on the character display area of thedisplay screen before a gesture operation as to the dedicated area isperformed.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode, alateral-direction (positive) operation has been performed on thededicated area, whereby the selected character string within thecharacter display area has been copied and consecutively input.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by reducing the font size in response to apinch-in operation in the vertical direction on the specified area inthe object edging decoration mode at the time of the document creationand editing mode.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by enlarging the font size in response to apinch-out operation in the vertical direction on the specified area inthe object edging decoration mode at the time of the document creationand editing mode.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by left justification in response to a dragoperation to the left edge from the specified area in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by right justification in response to a dragoperation to the right edge from the specified area in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by centering in response to a drag operationto the center from the specified area in the object edging decorationmode at the time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by left scrolling in response to a flickoperation in the left direction on the specified area in the objectedging decoration mode at the time of the document creation and editingmode.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by right scrolling in response to a flickoperation in the right direction on the specified area in the objectedging decoration mode at the time of the document creation and editingmode.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by both-way scrolling in response to aZ-shaped flick operation in the horizontal direction on the specifiedarea in the object edging decoration mode at the time of the documentcreation and editing mode.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string by blinking in response to a double clickoperation on the specified area in the object edging decoration mode atthe time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string with bold characters in response to a pinch-inoperation in the horizontal direction on the specified area in theobject edging decoration mode at the time of the document creation andediting mode.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected character string in italics in response to a parallel movementoperation by multi-touch on the specified area in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment changes the hueand saturation of the selected character string in response to arotating operation by multi-touch and a pinch-in operation/pinch-outoperation on the specified area in the object edging decoration mode atthe time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment detects themovement distance and movement direction of a gesture operation on thededicated area in the object edging decoration mode at the time of thedocument creation and editing mode.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment copies andconsecutively inputs the selected character string in response to alateral direction (positive) operation on the dedicated area in theobject edging decoration mode at the time of the document creation andediting mode.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment deletes the lastpasted character string in response to a lateral direction (negative)operation on the dedicated area in the object edging decoration mode atthe time of the document creation and editing mode.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment changes acharacter to be input in response to the movement distance and movementdirection of a gesture operation on the dedicated area in the objectedging decoration mode at the time of the document creation and editingmode.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment releases the rangeselection of a character string and returns to the normal documentcreation and editing mode in response to a single-touch operation on anarea other than the specified area and the dedicated area in the objectedging decoration mode at the time of the document creation and editingmode.

FIG. 40 is a diagram giving an example wherein the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment is in an image editingmode, an image is displayed on the image display area of the displayscreen, and the image thereof is in an editable state.

FIG. 41 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the user has selecteda desired image part from an image on the image display area of thedisplay screen at the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment, whereby this desired image part has been taken as aselected image part.

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating correlation between a gestureoperation that the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment can detect on the specified area, and a decoration andediting content to be subjected as to a selected object according thegesture operation thereof when changing to the object editing decorationmode at the time of the image editing mode.

FIG. 43 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the image editing mode, a pinch-inoperation has been performed on the specified area, whereby the selectedimage part within the image display area has been displayed withreduction.

FIG. 44 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the image editing mode, a pinch-outoperation has been performed on the specified area, whereby the selectedimage part within the image display area has been displayed withenlargement.

FIG. 45 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the image editing mode, a drag operationhas been performed on the specified area, whereby the selected imagepart within the image display area has been displayed with copy.

FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, in the object edgingdecoration mode at the time of the image editing mode, a rotatingoperation by multi-touch and a pinch-in operation/pinch-out operationhave been performed on the specified area, whereby the hue andsaturation of the selected image part within the image display area havebeen changed.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected image part with reduction in response to a pinch-in operationon the specified area in the object edging decoration mode at the timeof the image editing mode.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected image part with enlargement in response to a pinch-outoperation on the specified area in the object edging decoration mode atthe time of the image editing mode.

FIG. 49 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment displays theselected image part with copy in response to a drag operation on thespecified area in the object edging decoration mode at the time of theimage editing mode.

FIG. 50 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment changes anddisplays the hue and saturation of the selected image part in responseto a rotating operation by multi-touch on the specified area in theobject edging decoration mode at the time of the image editing mode.

FIG. 51 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment releases the rangeselection of an image part in response to a single-touch operation on anarea other than the specified area in the object edging decoration modeat the time of the image editing mode, so as to return to the normalimage editing mode.

FIG. 52 is a diagram illustrating another example of correlation betweena gesture operation that the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment can detect on the specified area, and a decorationand editing content to be subjected as to a selected object accordingthe gesture operation thereof when changing to the object editingdecoration mode at the time of the image editing mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below withreference to the appended drawings.

[General Configuration of Personal Digital Assistant]

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic internal configuration example of apersonal digital assistant serving as an example of an informationprocessing control device according to the present embodiment. Note thatthe personal digital assistant according to the present embodiment ismade up of, for example, a high-performance portable telephone terminal,tablet terminal, or the like, on which a touch panel having atransparent touch detection surface is disposed so as to cover generallythe entire screen of a display screen.

In FIG. 1, a communication antenna 10 is, for example, a built-inantenna, and performs transmission/reception of a phone call or e-mailvia a portable telephone network or public wireless communicationnetwork, downloading of various types of application programs includinga later-described information processing control program according tothe present embodiment and so forth, and transmission/reception ofsignal waves for connecting to the Internet or the like. An antennacircuit 11 is made up of an antenna switcher, a matching circuit, afilter circuit, and so forth, and a transmission/reception circuit unit12 performs frequency conversion, modulation, demodulation, and so forthof transmission/reception signals via a portable phone network or publicwireless communication network.

A speaker 24 is a speaker provided to the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment, and is used for playback of music,output of reception audio, output of ringer tone (ringtone), and soforth. A microphone 25 is used for collection of external audio,collection of transmission audio, and so forth. An audio signalprocessing unit 23 is configured of an amplifier circuit for the speaker24, an amplifier circuit for the microphone 25, a decompression decodingcircuit for subjecting compressed encoded audio data to decompressiondecoding supplied from a control and computing unit 13, a digital/analogconversion circuit for converting this digital audio data afterdecompression decoding, an analog/digital conversion circuit forconverting the analog audio signal input from the microphone 25, acompression coding circuit for subjecting this digital audio data tocompression coding, and so forth.

A video signal processing unit 20 is configured of a decompressiondecoding circuit for subjecting the compressed encoded video datasupplied from the control and computing unit 13, a display panel drivingcircuit for displaying this digital video after decompression decoding,the digital broadcast video received at a digital broadcast receptionmodule 17, and so forth on a display panel 21, and so forth. Also, inthe event of the present embodiment, this video signal processing unit20 also generates video signals for displaying the desktop image,various types of menu images, character input image, photo image,synthesized image, virtual key or virtual button image, or the likesupplied form the control and computing unit 13, and displays theseimages on the display panel 21.

A key operating unit 28 is configured of hard keys provided onto thecasing of the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, and peripheral circuits thereof. This key operating unit 28converts operation input of a hard key by the user into an electricalsignal, amplifies and subjects the operation input signal toanalog/digital conversion, and transmits the operation input data afteranalog/digital conversion thereof to the control and computing unit 13.

An external memory I/F unit 18 is configured of a slot for externalmemory which external memory made up of a semiconductor storage medium,or the like is mounted on/detached from, an interface circuit forcommunication with external memory data, and so forth. The informationprocessing control device according to the present embodiment isconfigured so as to obtain various types of data, and variousapplication programs via a storage medium such as external memoryinserted into this external memory I/F unit 18. Note that, with thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment, variousapplication programs to be obtained via this external memory include aninformation processing control program according to the presentembodiment for this personal digital assistant executing informationprocessing for subjecting a selected object such as the user's desiredcharacter string displayed on the display screen to desired decoration,which will be described later, and so forth.

An external input/output terminal unit 27 is configured of a connectorfor cable connection and an interface circuit for external datacommunication at the time of performing data communication via a cablefor example, or a charging terminal at the time of charging internalbattery via a power cable or the like and an interface circuit forcharging thereof, or the like. The information processing control deviceaccording to the present embodiment is configured so as to obtainvarious types of data and various application programs from an externaldevice connected to this external input/output terminal unit 27. Notethat, with the present embodiment, various application programs to beobtained via this external input/output terminal unit 27 include theinformation processing control program according to the presentembodiment, and so forth. Also, the information processing controlprogram according to the present embodiment may be recorded in adisc-form recording medium, a recording medium other than this, or thelike, for example. In this case, for example, according to a recordingmedia playback device included in a personal computer or the like, theinformation processing control program read out from this recordingmedium may be supplied to the external input/output terminal 27. It goeswithout saying that an arrangement may be made wherein the recordingmedia playback device is directly connected to the external input/outputterminal 27, and the information processing control program read out atthe playback device thereof is supplied to the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment.

A short-distance radio communication module 16 is configured of acommunication antenna for short-distance radio waves such as a wirelessLAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like, and a short-distanceradio communication circuit. Various application programs including theinformation processing control program according to the presentembodiment may be obtained via this short-distance radio communicationmodule 16.

The digital broadcast reception module 17 is configured of an antennafor reception such as a so-called distal television broadcast, digitalradio broadcast, and so forth, and a tuner thereof. This digitalbroadcast reception module 17 is configured so as to receive not adigital broadcast of only one channel but also digital broadcasts ofmultiple channels at the same time. Also, this digital broadcastreception module 17 is configured so as to also receive data multiplexedto a digital broadcast. Note that an arrangement may be made wherein thedigital broadcast data received at this digital broadcast receptionmodule 17 is compressed by the control and computing unit 13, and thenstored (i.e., recorded) in the memory unit 14 or the like. Also, variousapplication programs including the information processing controlprogram according to the present embodiment may be broadcasted as onepiece of this display broadcast data. In this case, the informationprocessing control program is extracted from the digital broadcast datareceived at the digital broadcast reception module 17, and taken intothe personal digital assistant according to the present embodiment.

A non-contact communication module 19 performs non-contact communicationused for so-called RFID (Radio Frequency-Identification: electric wavemethod recognition), a non-contact IC card, and so forth, by way of anon-contact communication antenna. Various application programsincluding the information processing control program according to thepresent embodiment may be obtained via this non-contact communicationmodule 19.

A GPS (Global Positioning System) module 15 includes a GPS antenna, anduses the GPS signal from a GPS geodetic satellite to obtain the latitudeand longitude of the current position of the own terminal. The GPS data(information representing latitude and longitude) obtained by the thisGPS module 15 is transmitted to the control and computing unit 13. Thus,the control and computing unit 13 can know the current position,movement, and so forth of the own terminal.

A camera unit 22 is configured of an imaging device, an optical system,and so forth for taking a still image or moving image, and peripheralcircuits thereof, a light driving circuit for emitting fill light fortaking an image, and so forth. Still image data and moving image data atthe time of taking an image by this camera unit 22 are transmitted tothe video signal processing unit 20 as preview image data. Thus, apreview video is displayed on the display panel 21 at the time of thiscamera shooting. Also, in the event of recording the still image data ormoving image data taken at the camera unit 22, this taken still imagedata or moving image data is transmitted to the control and computingunit 13, compressed, and then stored in the memory unit 14 or externalmemory connected to the external memory I/F unit 18.

Various sensor units 26 are configured of sensors for various detectionssuch as a terminal state detection sensor for detecting the state of thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment, andperipheral circuits thereof. Examples of the various sensor units 26include an inclination sensor, an acceleration sensor, an azimuthsensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an illuminancesensor. The detections signals by the various sensor units 26 aretransmitted to the control and computing unit 13. Thus, the control andcomputing unit 13 can know the state of this personal digital assistant(inclination, acceleration, azimuth, temperature, humidity, illuminance,etc.).

A touch panel 30 is an input operation having a detection surface whereoperation input by the user can be detected, and is configured of atransparent touch sensor screen sensor which is disposed on generallythe entire screen of the display panel 21. A touch panel signalprocessing unit 29 calculates, based on the coordinate data suppliedfrom the touch panel 30, the contact position at the time of the user'sfinger or the like coming into contact with the touch panel 30, contactduration, contact time interval, movement direction, movement speed, andmovement path of the finger or the like in the contact state, andtransmits the calculated data thereof to the control and computing unit104 as touch panel detection data. Note that the touch panel 30 andtouch panel signal processing unit 29 can handle so-called multi-touch,and are configured so as detect not only the number of multiple contactpoints but also contact duration, contact time interval, movementdirection, movement speed, movement path, and so forth for each contactpoint.

The memory unit 14 is configured of built-in memory provided to theinside of this terminal, a detachable card-shaped memory, and so forth.As for the detachable card-shaped memory, a card in which so-called SIM(Subscriber Identity Module) information and so forth are stored can betaken as an example. The built-in memory is made up of ROM (Read OnlyMemory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM stores variousapplication programs including a text editor, HTML editor, mailer, imageeditor, and the information processing control program according to thepresent embodiment, and so forth in addition to an OS (OperatingSystem), a control program for the control and computing unit 13controlling each unit, various types of initial setting values,dictionary data, character prediction conversion dictionary data, andvarious types of sound data. This ROM includes NAND-type flash memory orrewritable ROM such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory), whereby e-mail data, phone book and mail-address bookdata, still image and moving image content data, and additionallyvarious types of the user's setting values can be stored. The RAM storesdata according to need as a work region or buffer region when thecontrol and computing unit 13 performs various types of data processing.

The control and computing unit 13 is configured of a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit), and controls each unit such as thetransmission/reception circuit unit 12, video signal processing unit 20,audio signal processing unit 23, GPS module 15, non-contactcommunication module 19, short distance radio communication module 16,digital broadcast reception module 17, external memory I/F unit 18,camera unit 22, various sensor units 26, external input/output terminalunit 27, key operating unit 28, touch panel signal processing unit 29,and so forth, and performs various types of computation according toneed. Also, the control and computing unit 13 executes variousapplication programs including a control program stored in the memoryunit 14, the text editor, HTML editor, mailer, image editor, and theinformation processing control program according to the presentembodiment. Also, with the present embodiment, the control and computingunit 13 executes the information processing control program according tothe present embodiment, thereby serving as a decoration editing controlunit for executing the user's desired decoration or editing or the likeas to the user's desired selected object out of character strings andimages displayed on the screen of the display 21 while cooperating withan editing program, for example, such as the text editor, HTML editor,mailer, image editor, or the like in response to the user's operation asto the touch panel 30, which will be described later. Note that the flowof operation control of this personal digital assistant when the controland computing unit 13, i.e., the information processing control programaccording to the present embodiment executes decoration, editing, or thelike as to the selected object while cooperating with the editingprogram will be described later.

Additionally, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment also naturally includes each component provided to a commonpersonal digital assistant such as a clock unit configured to measuretime and point-in-time, a power management IC configured to control abattery for supplying power to each unit and power thereof.

[Decoration Editing Control Operation as to Selected Object According toGesture Operation]

With the personal digital assistant according to the present embodiment,the control and computing unit 13 executes the information processingcontrol program stored in the memory unit 14, thereby enablingdecoration or the like according to the user's operation as to the touchpanel to be subjected as to the user's desired selected object on thedisplay screen in cooperation with an editing program.

Specifically, the control and computing unit 13 of the personal digitalassistant executes the information processing control program accordingto the present embodiment, thereby serving as a correlation tablecontrol unit which generates or stores a later-described correlationtable in which multiple information processes (e.g., process ofdecoration etc.) that can be subjected as to an object displayed on thescreen of the display panel 21, and multiple gesture operations arecorrelated respectively. Also, the control and computing unit 13executes the information processing control program according to thepresent embodiment, thereby serving as a detection area control unitwhich sets, at the time of a desired object being selected by the useron the screen of the display panel 21, multiple gesture operationscorrelated with the correlation table as each information process thatcan be subjected as to the selected object to a gesture operation thatcan be detected on a specific detection area on the touch screen surfaceof the touch panel 30. Further, the control and computing unit 13executes the information processing control program according to thepresent embodiment, thereby serving as a processing control unit whichsubjects, at the time of any of the multiple gesture operations beingdetected on the specified detection area, the selected object to aninformation process correlated with the detected gesture operation, anddisplays on the screen.

[Decoration Editing Control Operation Example as to Selected Object atTime of Sentence Creation and Editing]

Hereafter, description will be made regarding the operation of thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment at thetime of taking a character or character string that the user hasselected out of character strings displayed on the display as theselected object, and subjecting the selected object thereof to theuser's desired decoration in the event that the operation mode of thepersonal digital assistant is in the sentence creation and editing mode,with reference to FIG. 2 through FIG. 22.

In the event that the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment is in the sentence creation and editing mode, asshown in FIG. 2 for example, let us say that a lateral-writing sentencewhere each character is arrayed in the lateral direction of the screenis displayed on a character display area 51 of the display screen 50,and the lateral-writing sentence thereof is in a state of being createdor an editable state. Note that as for the sentence creation and editingmode, there can be conceived an operation mode in a state in which anediting program such as a text editor, HTML editor, mailer, or the likeis being executed, for example. In a state in which the sentence shownin FIG. 2 is displayed, as shown in FIG. 3 for example, let us say thatthe user has performed a slide gesture operation in a position on thetouch panel corresponding to the display position of a desired characterstring, and also equivalent to the length worth of the desired characterstring.

At this time, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment recognizes each character of a character string 52 of whichthe range selection has been performed by this slide gesture operation(hereafter, referred to as selected character string 52 as appropriate)as the selected object, and also changes the operation mode of the ownterminal to the object decoration editing mode according to the presentembodiment in the sentence creation and editing mode.

The personal digital assistant which has changed to the objectdecoration editing mode sets the area of the selected character string52 by the slide gesture operation and an adjacent area thereof as aspecified area. Note that, of this specified area, the adjacent area maybe an area determined beforehand with the area of the selected characterstring 52 as the center, an area in the place and with the sizedetermined by this terminal, or an area in the place and with the sizearbitrarily set by the user. Also, the personal digital assistant atthis time correlates a gesture operation as to the touch panel on thespecified area with decoration content such as shown in the correlationtable in FIG. 4, for example.

Specifically, the correlation table shown in FIG. 4 representscorrelation between a gesture operation that the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment can detect in thespecified area, a gesture operation that the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment can detect as a gesture operationbeginning from the specified area, and decoration content to besubjected as to the selected object when these gesture operations areperformed. Note that this correlation table in FIG. 4 may be loaded tothe RAM of the memory unit 14 by activation of the informationprocessing control program according to the present embodiment forexample, may be prepared on the rewritable ROM of the memory unit 14separately from the information processing control program, or may beprepared in a server or the like on a predetermined network on theInternet and obtained by the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment as appropriate for example.

With this correlation table shown in FIG. 4, “PINCH-IN OPERATION INVERTICAL DIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that in a statein which two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, as to thealignment direction of each character within the character string withinthe character display area 51, one finger approaches from above, and theother finger approaches from below, thereby moving the two fingers in adirection where distance between the two fingers is narrowed down, forexample. In the event that this pinch-in operation in the verticaldirection has been detected on the specified area after transition hasbeen made to the object decoration editing mode, the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment reduces the font size ofeach character of the selected character string by a value correspondingto the movement distance of the two fingers according to this pinch-inoperation in the vertical direction.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 becomes a sentence obtained by reducing the font size ofeach character of the selected character string 52 by a valuecorresponding to the movement distance of the two fingers according tothe pinch-in operation in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 5.

Note that the movement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-inoperation in the vertical direction can be obtained by measuring thedistance between the two contact points according to the two fingers onthe touch panel before and after the pinch-in operation in the verticaldirection, and calculating the difference between the distances measuredbefore and after the pinch-in operation in the vertical direction, forexample. More specifically, the movement distance of the two fingersaccording to the pinch-in operation in the vertical direction can beobtained by subtracting the distance between the two contact points onthe touch panel before the pinch-in operation in the vertical directionfrom the distance between the two contact points on the touch panelafter the pinch-in operation in the vertical direction. Also, the fontsize after reduction of the selected character string 52 can be obtainedby subtracting a value proportional to the movement distance of the twofingers according to the pinch-in operation in the vertical directionfrom the font size before reduction in each character of the selectedcharacter string 52. For example, in the event that an HTML editor istaken as an example, the reduced display of the selected characterstring 52 can be performed by decorating the selected character string52 using a <font> tag for specifying the font size after reduction.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “PINCH-OUT OPERATION IN VERTICALDIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, as to the alignmentdirection of each character within the character string within thecharacter display area 51, one finger separates upward, and the otherfinger separates downward, thereby moving the two fingers in a directionwhere distance between the two fingers is widened, for example. In theevent that the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction has beendetected on the specified area after transition has been made to theobject decoration editing mode, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment increases the font size of each character ofthe selected character string by a value corresponding to the movementdistance of the two fingers according to this pinch-out operation in thevertical direction.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 becomes a sentence obtained by increasing the font sizeof each character of the selected character string 52 by a valuecorresponding to the movement distance of the two fingers according tothe pinch-out operation in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 6.

Note that the movement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-outoperation in the vertical direction can be obtained by measuring thedistance between the two contact points according to the two fingers onthe touch panel before and after the pinch-out operation in the verticaldirection, and calculating the difference between the distances measuredbefore and after the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction, asan example. More specifically, the movement distance of the two fingersaccording to the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction can beobtained by subtracting the distance between the two contact points onthe touch panel before the pinch-out operation in the vertical directionfrom the distance between the two contact points on the touch panelafter the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction. Also, the fontsize after enlargement of the selected character string 52 can beobtained by adding a value proportional to the movement distance of thetwo fingers according to the pinch-out operation in the verticaldirection from the font size before enlargement in each character of theselected character string 52. For example, in the event that an HTMLeditor is taken as an example, the enlarged display of the selectedcharacter string 52 can be performed by decorating the selectedcharacter string 52 using a <font> tag for specifying the font sizeafter enlargement.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 4, “DRAG OPERATION TO LEFTEDGE” is taken as a gesture operation such that one finger is in contactwith on the touch panel within the specified area, and the fingerthereof is moved generally in parallel with the alignment direction ofeach character within the character string within the character displayarea 51 and also in the left edge direction of the display screen 50,for example. In the event that the drag operation to the left edge hasbeen detected wherein the finger thereof is moved in the left edgedirection of the display screen 50 after transition has been made to theobject decoration editing mode and the user's finger has started contactwithin the specified area, the personal digital assistant according tothe present embodiment justifies the selected character string 52 to theleft edge within the character display area 51.

Also, at this time, in the event that other character strings or thelike are displayed on the left side as to the selected character string52, the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentinserts a line break after a character displayed the nearest to the leftside of the selected character string 52 (i.e., before this selectedcharacter string) to move the selected character string 52 to the nextrow, and then justifies the selected character string 52 to the leftedge within the character display area 51. Also, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the right side as to theselected character string 52, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment inserts a line break before a characterdisplayed the nearest to the right side of the selected character string52 (i.e., after this selected character string) to move the characterstrings and so forth displayed on the right side of the selectedcharacter string 52 to the next row.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 7, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with left justification, and also, aline break is inserted before and after this selected character string52. Note that, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is taken asan example, the left-justified display of the selected character string52 can be performed by decorating the selected character string 52 usinga <div align=“left”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “DRAG OPERATION TO RIGHT EDGE” istaken as a gesture operation such that one finger is in contact with onthe touch panel within the specified area, and the finger thereof ismoved generally in parallel with the alignment direction of eachcharacter within the character string within the character display area51 and also in the right edge direction of the display screen 50, forexample. In the event that the drag operation to the right edge has beendetected wherein the finger thereof is moved in the right edge directionof the display screen 50 after transition has been made to the objectdecoration editing mode and the user's finger has started contact withinthe specified area, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment justifies the selected character string 52 to theright edge within the character display area 51.

Note that, at this time as well, in the same way as with the case of thedrag operation to the left edge, in the event that other characters andso forth are displayed on the left side as to the selected characterstring 52, or in the event that other characters and so forth aredisplayed on the right side as to the selected character string 52, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment inserts,for example, a line break after a character displayed the nearest to theleft side of the selected character string 52 (i.e., before thisselected character string) or before a character displayed the nearestto the right side of the selected character string 52 (i.e., after thisselected character string).

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 8, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with right justification, and also, aline break is inserted before and after this selected character string52. Note that, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is taken asan example, the right-justified display of the selected character string52 can be performed by decorating the selected character string 52 usinga <div align=“right”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “DRAG OPERATION TO THE CENTER” istaken as a gesture operation such that one finger is in contact with onthe touch panel within the specified area, and the finger thereof ismoved generally in parallel with the alignment direction of eachcharacter within the character string within the character display area51 and also generally to the center of the display screen 50, forexample. In the event that the drag operation to the center has beendetected wherein the finger thereof is moved in the center direction ofthe display screen 50 after transition has been made to the objectdecoration editing mode and the user's finger has started contact withinthe specified area, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment disposes the selected character string 52 to thecenter within the character display area 51.

Note that, at this time as well, in the same way as with the case of thedrag operation to the left edge or right edge, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side as to theselected character string 52, or in the event that other characters andso forth are displayed on the right side as to the selected characterstring 52, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment inserts, for example, a line break after a characterdisplayed the nearest to the left side of the selected character string52 (i.e., before this selected character string) or before a characterdisplayed the nearest to the right side of the selected character string52 (i.e., after this selected character string).

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 9, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with centering, and also, a line breakis inserted before and after this selected character string 52. Notethat, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is taken as anexample, the centering display of the selected character string 52 canbe performed by decorating the selected character string 52 using a <divalign=“center”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “FLICK OPERATION TO LEFTDIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that one finger is incontact with on the touch panel, and the finger thereof is flickedgenerally in parallel with the alignment direction of each characterwithin the character string within the character display area 51 andalso generally toward the left direction of the display screen 50 (i.e.,a gesture operation such that the finger in contact is graduallyseparated from the touch panel while being moved to the left directionby short distance), for example. In the event that the flick operationto the left direction has been detected on the specified area aftertransition has been made to the object decoration editing mode, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment scrollsthe selected character string 52 to the left direction within thecharacter display area 51.

Note that, at this time as well, in the same way as with the case of thedrag operation to the left edge, in the event that other characters andso forth are displayed on the left side or the right side as to theselected character string 52, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment inserts, for example, a line break after acharacter displayed the nearest to the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52 or before a character displayed the nearest to theright side of the selected character string 52.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 10, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with scroll in the left direction shownby an arrow 531 in the drawing, and also, a line break is insertedbefore and after this selected character string 52. Note that the arrow531 in FIG. 10 is drawn for describing the scroll direction of theselected character string 52, and is not actually displayed on thescreen. Also, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is taken asan example, the scroll display in the left direction of the selectedcharacter string 52 can be performed by decorating the selectedcharacter string 52 using a <marquee direction=“left”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “FLICK OPERATION TO RIGHTDIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that one finger is incontact with on the touch panel, and the finger thereof is flickedgenerally in parallel with the alignment direction of each characterwithin the character string within the character display area 51 andalso generally toward the right direction of the display screen 50(i.e., a gesture operation such that the finger in contact is graduallyseparated from the touch panel while being moved to the right directionby short distance), for example. In the event that the flick operationto the left direction has been detected on the specified area aftertransition has been made to the object decoration editing mode, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment scrollsthe selected character string 52 to the right direction within thecharacter display area 51.

Note that, at this time as well, in the same way as with the case of theflick operation to the left direction, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side or the right sideas to the selected character string 52, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment inserts, for example, a line breakafter a character displayed the nearest to the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52 or before a character displayed the nearest to theright side of the selected character string 52.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 11, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with scroll in the right directionshown by an arrow 53 r in the drawing, and also, a line break isinserted before and after this selected character string 52. Note thatthe arrow 53 r in FIG. 11 is drawn for describing the scroll directionof the selected character string 52, and is not actually displayed onthe screen. Also, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is takenas an example, the scroll display in the right direction of the selectedcharacter string 52 can be performed by decorating the selectedcharacter string 52 using a <marquee direction=“right”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “Z-SHAPED FLICK OPERATION INHORIZONTAL DIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that onefinger is in contact with on the touch panel, the finger is then movedgenerally in parallel with the alignment direction of each characterwithin the character string within the character display area 51 andalso generally toward the right direction of the display screen 50, thisfinger is moved toward somewhat the lower side in the left direction,and further the finger thereof is flicked toward the right direction(i.e., a flick gesture operation such that the finger is moved in a Zshape), for example. In the event that the Z-shaped flick operation tothe horizontal direction has been detected on the specified area aftertransition has been made to the object decoration editing mode, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment scrollsthe selected character string 52 to both way of the horizontal directionwithin the character display area 51.

Note that, at this time as well, in the same way as with the case of theflick operation to the left direction or the right direction, in theevent that other characters and so forth are displayed on the left sideor the right side as to the selected character string 52, the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment inserts, forexample, a line break after a character displayed the nearest to theleft side of the selected character string 52 or before a characterdisplayed the nearest to the right side of the selected character string52.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 12, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with both-way scroll in the horizontaldirection shown by an arrow 53 rl in the drawing, and also, a line breakis inserted before and after this selected character string 52. Notethat the arrow 53 rl in FIG. 12 is drawn for describing the both-wayscroll direction of the selected character string 52, and is notactually displayed on the screen. Also, for example, in the event thatan HTML editor is taken as an example, the both-way scroll display inthe horizontal direction of the selected character string 52 can beperformed by decorating the selected character string 52 using a<marquee behavior=“alternate”> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “DOUBLE CLICK OPERATION” is takenas a gesture operation such that an operation is repeated twice whereinone finger is in contact with on the touch panel over a short amount oftime and then separated therefrom. In the event that the double clickoperation has been detected on the specified area after transition hasbeen made to the object decoration editing mode, the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment blinks the selectedcharacter string 52.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 13, a sentence wherein the selectedcharacter string 52 is displayed with blinking. Note that, for example,in the event that an HTML editor is taken as an example, the blinkingdisplay of the selected character string 52 can be performed bydecorating the selected character string 52 using a <blink> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “PINCH-OUT OPERATION IN HORIZONTALDIRECTION” is taken as a gesture operation such that in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, generally inparallel with the alignment direction of each character within thecharacter string within the character display area 51, the two fingersare moved so that one finger is separated in the right direction of thedisplay screen 50, and the other finger is separated in the leftdirection, thereby moving the two fingers in a direction where theinterval between the two fingers is widened. In the event that thepinch-out operation in the horizontal direction has been detected on thespecified area after transition has been made to the object decorationediting mode, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment changes each character of the selected character string to abold character.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 14, a sentence wherein only eachcharacter of the selected character string 52 is changed to a boldcharacter. Note that, for example, in the event that an HTML editor istaken as an example, the bold-character display of the selectedcharacter string 52 can be performed by decorating each character of theselected character string 52 using a <b> tag.

Also, according to “PINCH-IN OPERATION IN HORIZONTAL DIRECTION”, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment can alsochange each character of the selected character string to a thincharacter. The pinch-in operation in the horizontal direction is takenas a gesture operation such that in a state in which two fingers are incontact with on the touch panel, generally in parallel with thealignment direction of each character within the character string withinthe character display area 51, the two fingers are moved so that onefinger approaches from the right direction of the display screen 50, andthe other finger approaches from the left direction, thereby moving thetwo fingers in a direction where the interval between the two fingers isnarrowed down. In the event that the pinch-in operation in thehorizontal direction has been detected on the specified area aftertransition has been made to the object decoration editing mode, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment changeseach character of the selected character string to a thin character.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “PARALLEL MOVEMENT OPERATION INRIGHT DIRECTION BY MULTI-TOUCH” is taken as a gesture operation suchthat in a state in which two fingers are in contact with on the touchpanel, while the interval of the two fingers is generally kept, the twofingers are moved generally in parallel with the alignment direction ofeach character within the character string within the character displayarea 51, and also toward the right direction of the display screen 50.In the event that the parallel movement operation in the right directionby multi-touch has been detected on the specified area after transitionhas been made to the object decoration editing mode, the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment changes eachcharacter of the selected character string to an italic character.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 15, a sentence wherein only thecharacters of the selected character string 52 are changed to italics.Note that, for example, in the event that an HTML editor is taken as anexample, the italic-character display of the selected character string52 can be performed by decorating each character of the selectedcharacter string 52 using a <i> tag.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “ROTATING OPERATION BY MULTI-TOUCHAND PINCH-IN OPERATION/PINCH-OUT OPERATION” is taken as a gestureoperation combined, in a state in which two fingers are in contact withon the touch panel, from an operation such that one finger is taken asthe rotation center, and the other finger is rotated and moved, and anoperation such that distance between the one finger serving as therotation center and the other finger which rotates and moves is changed.In the event that the rotating operation by multi-touch has beendetected on the specified area after transition has been made to theobject decoration editing mode, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment sets the hue of each character of the selectedcharacter string to a value according to the rotation angle of therotating operation. Also, in the event that the pinch-in operation orpinch-out operation has been detected along with the detection of therotating operation, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment sets the saturation of each character of the selectedcharacter string according to the movement distance of the two fingersby the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 asshown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 16, a sentence wherein only eachcharacter of the selected character string 52 is set to the hueaccording to the rotation angle by the rotating operation, and also setto the saturation according to the movement distance of the two fingersby the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation. Note that, forexample, in the event that an HTML editor is taken as an example, thedisplay of the selected character string 52 can be performed bydecorating the selected character string 52 using a <font> tag forspecifying the hue and saturation.

Now, with the present embodiment, hue according to the rotation angle,and saturation according to the movement distance of the two fingers canbe obtained using a circular region 60 representing hue and saturationin so-called HSV (Hue Saturation Value) space shown in FIG. 17 throughFIG. 19. For example, with the circular region 60 representing the hueand saturation of the HSV space, the hue can be obtained as the valuesof R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) according to an angle made up of aline segment connecting from the center of this circular region 60 to adesired position in the circumference direction for example, and the Yaxis of the X-Y coordinate axes for example. Also, with the circularregion 60 representing the hue and saturation of the HSV space, thesaturation can be obtained as the values of R (Red), G (Green), and B(Blue) according to the length of a line segment connecting from thecenter of this circular region 60 to a desired position in thecircumference direction for example.

Therefore, at the time of detecting that the rotating operation has beenperformed by multi-touch on the specified area, the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment sets, as shown in FIG. 17,a contact point where the one finger 61 is in contact with on the touchpanel at the time of the rotating operation (i.e., rotation center) asthe center of the circular region 60 of the HSV space.

Then, the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentcalculates, as shown in FIG. 18, the R, G, and B values of the hue basedon an angle θ made up of a line segment connecting from a contact pointwhere the other finger 62 which rotates and moves is in contact with onthe touch panel to the contact point by the one finger 61 (the center ofthe circular region 60), and the Y axis.

Also, in the event that the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operationhas been detected along with the detection of the rotating operation,the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentcalculates, as shown in FIG. 19, the R, G, and B values of thesaturation based on change in the length of a line segment connectingthe contact point by the other finger 62 to the contact point by the onefinger 61 (movement distance md of the other finger). Note that themovement distance md of the other finger 62 can be obtained bysubtracting distance between the two fingers before the pinch-inoperation from distance between the two fingers after the pinch-inoperation, or by subtracting distance between the two fingers after thepinch-out operation from distance between the two fingers before thepinch-out operation.

Also, the finger serving as the rotation center may not necessarily befixed to one location, and even in the event that while the two fingersare mutually moved, and relatively rotated, distance between the twofingers is changed, the hue and saturation can be obtained. In thiscase, when the two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel by themulti-touch, of two contact points by the two fingers, a contact pointof which the coordinate value in the Y-axial direction is smaller istaken as the center of the circular region, and then when the twofingers are relatively rotated, the hue can be obtained based on anangle made up of a line segment connecting the two contact points, andthe Y axis, and also the saturation can be obtained based on change inthe length of the line segment connecting the two contact points.

With the correlation table in FIG. 4, “SINGLE-TOUCH OPERATION AT APORTION OTHER THAN SPECIFIC AREA” is taken as a gesture operation suchthat, with an area other than the specified area, one finger is incontact with on the touch panel only for a short time, and immediatelyseparated therefrom, for example. In the event that the single touchoperation has been detected at a portion other than the specified areaafter transition has been made to the object decoration editing mode,the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentreleases the range selection of the selected character string, and alsoreturns the operation mode of this terminal from the object decorationediting mode to the normal sentence creation and editing mode.

With the present embodiment, at the time of the object decorationediting mode, in addition to various types of decoration based on thecorrelation table in FIG. 4, various types of editing or the like basedon the correlation table shown in FIG. 20 can be performed, for example.

The editing or the like based on this correlation table in FIG. 20 areperformed according to a gesture operation as to the dedicated areaprepared on the touch panel, for example. Note that, with the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment, transition to theobject decoration editing mode based on this correlation table in FIG.20 is executed at the time of a predetermined gesture operation beingperformed on a predetermined dedicated area 54 such as shown in FIG. 21or FIG. 22 as an example. As an example, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment changes to the object decorationediting mode based on this correlation table in FIG. 20 at the time ofthe slide gesture operation in the right direction having been detectedon the dedicated area 54.

The correlation table in FIG. 20 shows correlation between each gestureoperation that can be detected on the predetermined dedicated area 54such as shown in FIG. 21 or FIG. 22, and an editing content to besubjected as to the selected object (selected character string 52) atthe time of such each gesture operation being performed. Note that thededicated area 54 exemplified in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 is merely anexample, and may be provided to another location, or may have a size orshape different from the example in the drawing. Also, the example inFIG. 21 illustrates a state before a gesture operation as to thededicated area 54 is performed, and after the user has specified adesired character string of the lateral-writing sentence displayed onthe character display area 51 of the display screen 50 as the selectedcharacter string 52.

Also, the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentis configured, as shown in the correlation table in FIG. 20, so as tochange the correlation between a gesture operation as to the dedicatedarea and the content of the editing or the like according to thecharacter type of the selected character string 52 as appropriate. Notethat as for character types, alphabetic characters, numeric characters,symbols, and so forth can be given.

Hereafter, the correlation table in FIG. 20 will be described.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string 52is characters or symbols, “LATERAL DIRECTION (POSITIVE) OPERATION” ofthe correlation table shown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operationsuch that on the dedicated area 54, for example, in a state in which afinger is in contact with on the touch panel, the finger is slid andmoved in the X-axial direction (the lateral direction of the displayscreen) of the X-Y coordinates and also in a predetermined positivedirection (the right direction in this example), and the movementdistance at this time is equal to or greater than a certain value in theX-axial direction (lateral direction), and is less than a certain valuein the Y-axial direction (the longitudinal direction of the displayscreen). Note that the certain value in the movement distance in theX-axial direction, and the certain value in the movement distance in theY-axial direction are different values, for example. In this way, in theevent of detecting that the lateral direction (positive) operation hasbeen performed on the dedicated area 54, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment consecutively copies and pastes theselected character string 52 behind the selected character string 52 bythe number according to the movement distance by the finger according tothis lateral direction (positive) operation.

Thus, the sentence displayed within the character display area 51 of thedisplay screen 50 as shown in FIG. 21 is, as shown in FIG. 22, asentence wherein behind the selected character string 52, this selectedcharacter string 52 is consecutively input by the number according tothe movement distance of the finger at the time of the lateral direction(positive) operation. Note that Kanji has been given as the charactertypes in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, but the character type in this case may beHiragana characters, alphabetic characters, or otherwise the characters,numeric characters, various symbols of other languages.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string ischaracters or symbols, “LATERAL DIRECTION (NEGATIVE) OPERATION” of thecorrelation table shown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation suchthat on the dedicated area, for example, in a state in which a finger isin contact with on the touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in theX-axial direction (lateral direction) of the X-Y coordinates and also inthe opposite direction (the left direction in this example) of thepredetermined positive direction. In this way, in the event of detectingthat the lateral direction (negative) operation has been performed onthe dedicated area 54, when there are copied and consecutively inputselected character strings 52 behind the selected character string 52 asshown in FIG. 21, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment deletes the copied and consecutively input selectedcharacter strings 52 by the number according to the movement distance ofthe finger by the lateral (negative) operation. Note that, in the caseof this example, the character type may be any of Kanji, Hiraganacharacters, alphabetic characters, numeric characters, symbols, and soforth.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string isalphabetic, “VERTICAL DIRECTION OPERATION” of the correlation tableshown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation such that on thededicated area, for example, in a state in which a finger is in contactwith on the touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in the X-axialdirection of the X-Y coordinates and also in a predetermined positivedirection (right direction), and the movement distance at this time isequal to or greater than a certain value in the X-axial direction, andalso equal to or greater than a certain value in a positive direction(upward direction) in the Y-axial direction, and further equal to orgreater than a certain value in a negative direction (downwarddirection) in the Y-axial direction. In this way, in the event that thecharacter type of the selected character string is alphabetic, upondetecting that the vertical direction operation has been performed onthe dedicated area, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment takes the character type of the selected characterstring as small characters while the movement distance of the positivedirection (upward direction) in the Y-axial direction is less than thecertain value, and copies and consecutively pastes the characters by thenumber according to the movement distance in the X-axial direction, andtakes the character type of the selected character string as capitalcharacters while the movement distance of the positive direction (upwarddirection) in the Y-axial direction is equal to or greater than thecertain value, and consecutively pastes the characters by the numberaccording to the movement distance in the X-axial direction. Note that,with this example, alphabetic is given as the character type, but thischaracter type may be characters of other languages as long as there arecapital characters and small characters.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string ischaracters or symbols, “UPPER-RIGHT DIRECTION OPERATION” of thecorrelation table shown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation suchthat on the dedicated area, for example, in a state in which a finger isin contact with on the touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in theX-axial direction of the X-Y coordinates and also in a predeterminedpositive direction (right direction), and the movement distance at thistime is equal to or greater than a certain value in the X-axialdirection, and also equal to or greater than a certain value in thepositive direction (upward direction) in the Y-axial direction. In thisway, in the event that the character type of the selected characterstring is characters or symbols, upon detecting that the upper-rightdirection operation has been performed on the dedicated area, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment copiesand consecutively pastes the character or symbol by the number accordingto the movement distance in the X-axial direction while graduallyincreasing the size of a character or symbol of the selected characterstring according to the movement distance in the positive direction(upward direction) in the Y-axial direction. Note that, in the case ofthis example, the character type may be any of Kanji, Hiraganacharacters, alphabetic characters, numeric characters, symbols, and soforth.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string issymbolic, “VERTICAL DIRECTION OPERATION” of the correlation table shownin FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation such that on the dedicatedarea, for example, in a state in which a finger is in contact with onthe touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in the X-axial directionof the X-Y coordinates and also in a predetermined positive direction(right direction), and the movement distance at this time is equal to orgreater than a certain value in the X-axial direction, and also equal toor greater than a certain value in the positive direction (upwarddirection) in the Y-axial direction. In this way, in the event that thecharacter type of the selected character string is symbolic, upondetecting that the vertical direction operation has been performed onthe dedicated area, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment copies and consecutively pastes a symbol of theselected character string by the number according to the movementdistance in the X-axial direction while the movement distance in thepositive direction (upward direction) in the Y-axial direction is lessthan the certain value, and consecutively pastes another symbol by thenumber according to the movement distance in the X-axial direction whilethe movement distance in the positive direction (upward direction) inthe Y-axial direction is equal to or greater than the certain value.

In the event that the character type of the selected character string isalphabetic, “UPPER-RIGHT DIRECTION OPERATION” of the correlation tableshown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation such that on thededicated area, for example, in a state in which a finger is in contactwith on the touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in the X-axialdirection of the X-Y coordinates and also in a predetermined positivedirection (right direction), and the movement distance at this time isequal to or greater than a certain value in the X-axial direction, andalso equal to or greater than a certain value in the positive direction(upward direction) in the Y-axial direction. In this way, in the eventthat the character type of the selected character string is alphabetic,upon detecting that the upper-right direction operation has beenperformed on the dedicated area, while sequentially changing a characterof the selected character string to each character in the alphabeticalorder as an example according to the movement distance in the positive(upward direction) in the Y-axial direction, the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment consecutively pastes thecharacter by the number according to the movement distance in theX-axial direction. Note that, with this example, alphabetic is given asthe character type, but this character type may be characters of otherlanguages as long as each character can be aligned in a predeterminedorder such as the alphabetic order (e.g., Hiragana to be arrayed in theorder of the Japanese syllabary, etc.).

In the event that the character type of the selected character string isnumeric, “UPPER-RIGHT DIRECTION OPERATION” of the correlation tableshown in FIG. 20 is taken as a gesture operation such that on thededicated area, for example, in a state in which a finger is in contactwith on the touch panel, the finger is slid and moved in the X-axialdirection of the X-Y coordinates and also in a predetermined positivedirection (right direction), and the movement distance at this time isequal to or greater than a certain value in the X-axial direction, andalso equal to or greater than a certain value in the positive direction(upward direction) in the Y-axial direction. In this way, in the eventthat the character type of the selected character string is numeric,upon detecting that the upper-right direction operation has beenperformed on the dedicated area, while sequentially changing a numericcharacter of the selected character string to an ascending numericcharacter as an example according to the movement distance in thepositive (upward direction) in the Y-axial direction, the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment consecutivelypastes the character by the number according to the movement distance inthe X-axial direction.

[Processing Flow at Time of Execution of Character Decoration andEditing by Information Processing Control Program According to PresentEmbodiment]

Hereafter, description will be made regarding a flowchart at the time ofthe personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentexecuting the information processing control program to performprocessing such as decoration of characters, consecutive input editing,or the like as described above. Note that the information processingprogram according to the present embodiment may be prepared at the timeof shipping of the portable information terminal from the factory, ormay be separately acquired via the aforementioned wires communication,external input/output terminal, or various types of storage media suchas external memory or disc-form storage media or the like.

FIG. 23 through FIG. 39 illustrate a processing flow at the time of thecontrol and computing unit 13 of the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment executing the information processingcontrol program according to the present embodiment. Note that theinformation processing control program in this case may be activatedaccording to instructions from the user, or may automatically beactivated according to activation of an editor.

With the flowchart in FIG. 23, let us say that as step S1 the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment has alreadyactivated various editors, for example, such as the above-described HTMLeditor, and is in the sentence creation and editing mode.

In the event that the sentence creation and editing mode has been set,as step S2 upon detecting that a user's desired character string withina sentence on the character display area 51 of the display screen 50 hasbeen selected as shown in the above-described FIG. 3 by range selectionthrough the slide gesture operation on the touch panel 30, the controland computing unit 13 advances the processing to processing in step S3.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S3, the control and computingunit 13 changes the operation mode of this terminal to the objectdecoration editing mode in the sentence creation and editing mode.

Upon proceeding to the object decoration editing mode, the control andcomputing unit 13 sets the selected character string 52 according to therange selection, and an adjacent area thereof on the touch panel 30 asthe above-described specified area. The control and computing unit 13then sets the specified area on the touch panel 30 as an area fordetecting each gesture operation described in the correlation table inthe above-described FIG. 4, and becomes an input waiting state of agesture operation as to this specified area by the user.

Next, upon detecting a gesture operation on the specified area, asprocessing in step S5 the control and computing unit 13 determineswhether or not the gesture operation thereof is the pinch-in operationin the vertical direction set to the correlation table in theabove-described FIG. 4. In the event that determination is made in thedetermination processing in step S5 that the gesture operation is thepinch-in operation in the vertical direction, the control and computingunit 13 advances the processing to step S6, and in the event thatdetermination is made that the gesture operation is not the pinch-inoperation in the vertical direction, advances the processing to step S11in FIG. 24.

Upon proceeding to step S6 after determination is made in step S5 thatthe gesture operation is the pinch-in operation in the verticaldirection, the control and computing unit 13 subtracts distance betweentwo contact points on the touch panel by two fingers before thispinch-in operation in the vertical direction from distance between thetwo contact points on the touch panel by the two fingers after thispinch-in operation in the vertical direction, thereby calculating themovement distance of the two fingers by this pinch-in operation in thevertical direction.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS7, and subtracts a value proportional to the movement distance of thetwo fingers by the pinch-in operation in the vertical direction from thefont size before reduction of each character of the selected characterstring 52, thereby calculating the font size after reduction of theselected character string.

As processing in step S8, the control and computing unit 13 inputs thefont size after reduction of the selected character string 52 to theeditor. As an example, in the event of an HTML editor, the control andcomputing unit 13 decorates the selected character string 52 using thetag of <font> which specifies the font size after reduction.

Subsequently, as processing in step S9 the control and computing unit 13controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor to displaythe selected character string 52 having the font size after reduction onthe screen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 5.

After the processing in step S9, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S11 in FIG. 24 afterdetermination is made in step S5 that the gesture operation is not thepinch-in operation in the vertical direction, the control and computingunit 13 determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction setto the correlation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the eventthat determination is made in the determination processing in step S11that the detected gesture operation is the pinch-out operation in thevertical direction, the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S12, and in the event that determination is made thatthe detected gesture operation is not the pinch-out operation in thevertical direction, advances the processing to step S21 in FIG. 25.

Upon proceeding to step S12 after determination is made that thedetected gesture is the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction,the control and computing unit 13 subtracts distance between two contactpoints on the touch panel by two fingers before this pinch-out operationin the vertical direction from distance between the two contact pointson the touch panel by the two fingers after this pinch-out operation inthe vertical direction, thereby calculating the movement distance of thetwo fingers by this pinch-out operation in the vertical direction.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS13, and adds a value proportional to the movement distance of the twofingers by the pinch-out operation in the vertical direction to the fontsize before reduction of each character of the selected character string52, thereby calculating the font size after enlargement of the selectedcharacter string 52.

As processing in step S14, the control and computing unit 13 inputs thefont size after enlargement of the selected character string 52 to theeditor. As an example, in the event of an HTML editor, the control andcomputing unit 13 decorates the selected character string 52 using thetag of <font> which specifies the font size after enlargement.Subsequently, as processing in step S15 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 having the font size afterenlargement on the screen of the display 21 as shown in theabove-described FIG. 6.

After the processing in step S15, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S21 in FIG. 25 afterdetermination is made in step S11 that the gesture operation is not thepinch-out operation in the vertical direction, the control and computingunit 13 determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the drag operation to the left edge set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S21 thatthe detected gesture operation is the drag operation to the left edge,the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S22,and in the event that determination is made that the detected gestureoperation is not the drag operation to the left edge, advances theprocessing to step S31 in FIG. 26.

Upon proceeding to step S22 after determination is made in step S21 thatthe gesture operation is the drag operation to the left edge, thecontrol and computing unit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selectedcharacter string 52 is left-justified. As an example, in the event of anHTML editor, the control and computing unit 13 decorates the selectedcharacter string 52 using the tag of <div align=“left”>. Note that atthe time of this left-justified display, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52, or other characters and so forth are displayed onthe right side of the selected character string 52, the control andcomputing unit 13 inputs a line break for dividing the row of theselected character string 52 displayed with left justification, and theother characters, to the editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S23 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the left-justified selected character string 52 on the screen ofthe display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 7.

After the processing in step S23, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S31 in FIG. 26 afterdetermination is made in step S21 that the gesture operation is not thedrag operation to the left edge, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the drag operation to the right edge set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S31 thatthe detected gesture operation is the drag operation to the right edge,the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S32,and in the event that determination is made that the detected gestureoperation is not the drag operation to the right edge, advances theprocessing to step S41 in FIG. 27.

Upon proceeding to step S32 after determination is made in step S31 thatthe gesture operation is the drag operation to the right edge, thecontrol and computing unit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selectedcharacter string is right-justified. As an example, in the event of anHTML editor, the control and computing unit 13 decorates the selectedcharacter string 52 using the tag of <div align=“right”>. Note that atthe time of this right-justified display, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52, or other characters and so forth are displayed onthe right side of the selected character string 52, the control andcomputing unit 13 inputs a line break for dividing the row of theselected character string 52 displayed with right justification, and theother characters, to the editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S33 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the right-justified selected character string 52 on the screenof the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 8.

After the processing in step S33, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S41 in FIG. 27 afterdetermination is made in step S31 that the gesture operation is not thedrag operation to the right edge, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the drag operation to the center set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S41 thatthe detected gesture operation is the drag operation to the center, thecontrol and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S42, andin the event that determination is made that the detected gestureoperation is not the drag operation to the center, advances theprocessing to step S51 in FIG. 28.

Upon proceeding to step S42 after determination is made in step S41 thatthe gesture operation is the drag operation to the center, the controland computing unit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selectedcharacter string 52 is subjected to centering. As an example, in theevent of an HTML editor, the control and computing unit 13 decorates theselected character string 52 using the tag of <div align=“center”>. Notethat at the time of this centering display, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52, or other characters and so forth are displayed onthe right side of the selected character string 52, the control andcomputing unit 13 inputs a line break for dividing the row of theselected character string 52 displayed with centering, and the othercharacters, to the editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S43 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 subjected to centering on thescreen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 9.

After the processing in step S43, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S51 in FIG. 28 afterdetermination is made in step S41 that the gesture operation is not thedrag operation to the right edge, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the flick operation to the left direction set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S51 thatthe detected gesture operation is the flick operation to the leftdirection, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing tostep S52, and in the event that determination is made that the detectedgesture operation is not the flick operation to the left direction,advances the processing to step S61 in FIG. 29.

Upon proceeding to step S52 after determination is made in step S51 thatthe gesture operation is the flick operation to the left direction, thecontrol and computing unit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selectedcharacter string 52 is left-scrolled. As an example, in the event of anHTML editor, the control and computing unit 13 decorates the selectedcharacter string 52 using the tag of <marquee direction=“left”>. Notethat at the time of this left-scrolled display, in the event that othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the left side of the selectedcharacter string 52, or other characters and so forth are displayed onthe right side of the selected character string 52, the control andcomputing unit 13 inputs a line break for dividing the row of theselected character string 52 to be displayed with left scroll, and theother characters, to the editor, as described above.

Subsequently, as processing in step S53, the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 to be left-scrolled on thescreen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 10.

After the processing in step S53, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S61 in FIG. 29 afterdetermination is made in step S51 that the gesture operation is not theflick operation to the left direction, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the flick operation to the right direction set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S61 thatthe detected gesture operation is the flick operation to the rightdirection, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing tostep S62, and in the event that determination is made that the detectedgesture operation is not the flick operation to the right direction,advances the processing to step S71 in FIG. 30. Upon proceeding to stepS62 after determination is made in step S61 that the gesture operationis the flick operation to the right direction, the control and computingunit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selected character string 52is right-scrolled. As an example, in the event of an HTML editor, thecontrol and computing unit 13 decorates the selected character string 52using the tag of <marquee direction=“right”>. Note that at the time ofthis right-scrolled display, in the event that other characters and soforth are displayed on the left side of the selected character string52, or other characters and so forth are displayed on the right side ofthe selected character string 52, the control and computing unit 13inputs a line break for dividing the row of the selected characterstring 52 to be displayed with right scroll, and the other characters,to the editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S63, the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 to be right-scrolled on thescreen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 11.

After the processing in step S63, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S71 in FIG. 30 afterdetermination is made in step S61 that the gesture operation is not theflick operation to the right direction, the control and computing unit13 determines whether or not the gesture operation detected on thespecified area is the Z-shaped flick operation in the horizontaldirection set to the correlation table in the above-described FIG. 4. Inthe event that determination is made in the determination processing instep S71 that the detected gesture operation is the Z-shaped flickoperation in the horizontal direction, the control and computing unit 13advances the processing to step S72, and in the event that determinationis made that the detected gesture operation is not the Z-shaped flickoperation in the horizontal direction, advances the processing to stepS81 in FIG. 31.

Upon proceeding to step S72 after determination is made in step S71 thatthe gesture operation is the Z-shaped flick operation in the horizontaldirection, the control and computing unit 13 inputs it to the editorthat this selected character string 52 is both-way-scrolled. As anexample, in the event of an HTML editor, the control and computing unit13 decorates the selected character string 52 using the tag of <marqueebehavior=“alternate”>. Note that at the time of this right-scrolleddisplay, in the event that other characters and so forth are displayedon the left side of the selected character string 52, or othercharacters and so forth are displayed on the right side of the selectedcharacter string 52, the control and computing unit 13 inputs a linebreak for dividing the row of the selected character string 52 to bedisplayed with both-way scroll, and the other characters, to the editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S73 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 to be both-way-scrolled on thescreen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 12.

After the processing in step S73, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S81 in FIG. 31 afterdetermination is made in step S71 that the gesture operation is not theZ-shaped flick operation in the horizontal direction, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the gesture operationdetected on the specified area is the double click operation set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S81 thatthe detected gesture operation is the double click operation, thecontrol and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S82, andin the event that determination is made that the detected gestureoperation is not the double click operation, advances the processing tostep S91 in FIG. 32.

Upon proceeding to step S82 after determination is made in step S81 thatthe gesture operation is the double click operation, the control andcomputing unit 13 inputs it to the editor that this selected characterstring 52 is displayed with blinking. As an example, in the event of anHTML editor, the control and computing unit 13 decorates the selectedcharacter string 52 using the tag of <blink>.

Subsequently, as processing in step S83 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 to be displayed with blinkingon the screen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 13.

After the processing in step S83, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S91 in FIG. 32 afterdetermination is made in step S81 that the gesture operation is not thedouble click operation, the control and computing unit 13 determineswhether or not the gesture operation detected on the specified area isthe pinch-out operation in the horizontal direction set to thecorrelation table in the above-described FIG. 4. In the event thatdetermination is made in the determination processing in step S91 thatthe detected gesture operation is the pinch-out operation in thehorizontal direction, the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S92, and in the event that determination is made thatthe detected gesture operation is not the pinch-out operation in thehorizontal direction, advances the processing to step S101 in FIG. 33.

Upon proceeding to step S92 after determination is made in step S91 thatthe gesture operation is the pinch-out operation in the horizontaldirection, the control and computing unit 13 inputs it to the editorthat this selected character string 52 is changed to bold characters. Asan example, in the event of an HTML editor, the control and computingunit 13 decorates the selected character string 52 using the tag of <b>.

Subsequently, as processing in step S93 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 displayed with bold characterson the screen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 14.

After the processing in step S93, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S101 in FIG. 33 afterdetermination is made in step S91 that the gesture operation is not thepinch-out operation in the horizontal direction, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the gesture operationdetected on the specified area is the parallel movement operation in theright direction by multi-touch set to the correlation table in theabove-described FIG. 4. In the event that determination is made in thedetermination processing in step S101 that the detected gestureoperation is the parallel movement operation in the right direction bymulti-touch, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processingto step S102, and in the event that determination is made that thedetected gesture operation is not the parallel movement operation in theright direction by multi-touch, advances the processing to step S111 inFIG. 34.

Upon proceeding to step S102 after determination is made in step S101that the gesture operation is the parallel movement operation in theright direction by multi-touch, the control and computing unit 13 inputsit to the editor that this selected character string 52 is changed toitalics. As an example, in the event of an HTML editor, the control andcomputing unit 13 decorates the selected character string 52 using thetag of <i>.

Subsequently, as processing in step S103 the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 displayed with italics on thescreen of the display 21 as shown in the above-described FIG. 15.

After the processing in step S103, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S111 in FIG. 34 afterdetermination is made in step S101 that the gesture operation is not theparallel movement operation in the right direction by multi-touch, thecontrol and computing unit 13 determines whether or not the gestureoperation detected on the specified area is the rotating operation bymulti-touch set to the correlation table in the above-described FIG. 4.In the event that determination is made in the determination processingin step S111 that the detected gesture operation is the rotatingoperation by multi-touch, the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S112, and in the event that determination is madethat the detected gesture operation is not the rotating operation bymulti-touch, advances the processing to step S121 in FIG. 35.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S112 after determination is madein step S111 that the gesture operation is the rotating operation bymulti-touch, with a circular region 60 representing the hue andsaturation of the HSV space as described above, the control andcomputing unit 13 changes the hue of the selected character string 52according to a rotation angle at the time of rotating the other fingerwith the one finger serving as the rotation center, and calculates theR, G, and B values after change thereof.

Next, as processing in step S113 the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operationhas been detected on the specified area, advances the processing to stepS114 in the event that the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation hasbeen detected, and advances the processing to step S116 in the eventthat neither of these has been detected.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S114 after determination is madein step S113 that the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation has beendetected, the control and computing unit 13 subtracts, from distancebetween two contact points on the touch panel by the two fingers afterthis pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation, distance between twocontact points on the touch panel by the two fingers before the pinch-inoperation or pinch-out operation, thereby calculating the movementdistance of the two fingers by this pinch-in operation or pinch-outoperation.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS115, changes the saturation of the selected character string 52according to the movement distance of the two fingers, and calculatesthe R, G, and B values after change thereof. After the processing instep S115, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing tostep S116.

Upon proceeding to step S116, the control and computing unit 13 inputsthe R, G, and B values (character color) of the selected characterstring 52 calculated in step S112 and step S115 to the editor. As anexample, in the event of an HTML editor, the control and computing unit13 decorates the selected character string 52 using the tag of <font>wherein the character color after change is specified.

Subsequently, as processing in step S117, the control and computing unit13 controls the video signal processing unit 20 via the editor todisplay the selected character string 52 after the character colorchange on the screen of the display 21 as shown in the above-describedFIG. 16.

After the processing in step S117, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S4 in FIG. 23.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S121 in FIG. 35 afterdetermination is made in step S111 that the gesture operation is not therotating operation by multi-touch, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the slide gesture operation in the rightdirection has been detected on the dedicated area 54. Upon detecting theslide gesture operation in the right direction on the dedicated area 54,the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S122,and on the other hand, in the event that the slide gesture operation inthe right direction has not been detected on the dedicated area 54,advances the processing to step S161 in FIG. 39.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S122 after detecting the slidegesture operation in the right direction on the dedicated area 54 instep S121, the control and computing unit 13 changes the operation modeto the object decoration editing mode whereby various types of editingand so forth based on the correlation table in the above-described FIG.20 can be executed. After the processing in step S122, the control andcomputing unit 13 advances the processing to step S123.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S123, the control andcomputing unit 13 calculates, at the time of a gesture operation whereinthe user slides and moves a finger on the dedicated area 54, themovement distance of the finger from the starting point of the slidemovement thereof, and advances the processing to the next step S124.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S124, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the movement distance of theslide movement of the finger on the dedicated area 54 has reached acertain value regarding the X-axial direction (lateral direction). Inthe event that determination is made in step S124 that the movementdistance has not reached the certain value in the X-axial direction(lateral direction), the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S133 in FIG. 36, and on the other hand, in the eventthat determination is made that the movement distance has reached thecertain value in the X-axial direction (lateral direction), advances theprocessing to step S125.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S125, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the movement direction ofthe slide movement of the finger on the dedicated area 54 is a positivedirection (right direction). In the event that determination is made inthis step S125 that the movement direction is not the positive direction(right direction), the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S141 in FIG. 37, and on the other hand, in the eventthat determination is made that the movement direction is not thepositive direction (right direction), advances the processing to stepS126.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S126, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the movement distance of theslide movement of the finger on the dedicated area 54 has reached acertain value regarding the Y-axial direction (longitudinal direction).In the event that determination is made in this step S126 that themovement distance has not reached the certain value in the Y-axialdirection (longitudinal direction), the control and computing unit 13advances the processing to step S131 in FIG. 36, and on the other hand,in the event that determination is made that the movement distance hasnot reached the certain value in the Y-axial direction (longitudinaldirection), advances the processing to step S151 in FIG. 38.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S131 in FIG. 36 from stepS126, the control and computing unit 13 pastes, behind the selectedcharacter string 52, a character string copied from the selectedcharacter string 52 thereof using the editor.

As processing in step S132, the control and computing unit 13 resets thestarting point to the current finger position, and then advances theprocessing to step S133.

Next, upon proceeding to the processing in step S133, the control andcomputing unit 13 determines whether or not the finger is separated fromthe dedicated area 54, and in the event that the finger is notseparated, returns the processing to step S123 in FIG. 35, and on theother hand, in the event that determination is made that the finger isseparated, as processing in step S134 escapes from the mode changed instep S122 to return to the previous mode, and then returns to theprocessing in step S4 in FIG. 23.

In this way, in the event that the processing proceeds to step S131 fromstep S126, determination is made in step S133 that the finger is notseparated, returns to step S123, further determination is made in stepS124 that the movement distance in the X-axial direction has reached thecertain value, determination is made in step S125 that the movementdirection is the positive direction, and determination is made in stepS126 that the movement distance in the Y-axial direction has not reachedthe certain value, the control and computing unit 13 further pastes acharacter string copied from the selected character string behind thecopied and pasted character string.

That is to say, the processing in step S123, step S124, step S125, stepS126, step S131, and step S132 is arranged to be repeatable. In otherwords, in the event that a gesture operation has been performed suchthat the finger is slid and moved in the X-axial direction and also inthe right direction on the dedicated area 54, and the movement distanceat this time is equal to or greater than the certain value, and alsoless than the certain value in the Y-axial direction, the control andcomputing unit 13 copies and consecutively pastes the selected characterstring 52 behind the selected character string 52 by the numberaccording to the movement distance of the finger. Thus, as shown in theabove-described FIG. 22, a sentence where the selected character string52 is consecutively input is displayed within the character display area51 of the display screen 50.

Also, in the event of determining in step S125 that the movementdirection is not the positive direction (right direction), andproceeding to the processing in step S141 in FIG. 37, the control andcomputing unit 13 deletes the character string last pasted behind theselected character string 52.

Subsequently, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processingto step S132 in FIG. 36.

In this way, in the event that the processing proceeds to step S141 fromstep S125, determination is made in step S133 that the finger is notseparated, returns to step S123, further determination is made in stepS124 that the movement distance in the X-axial direction has reached thecertain value, determination is made in S125 that the movement directionis not the positive direction (determined to be the negative direction),and the processing proceeds to step S141, the control and computing unit13 further deletes the copied and pasted character string.

That is to say, the processing in step S123, step S124, step S125, stepS141, and step S132 is arranged to be repeatable. In other words, in theevent that a gesture operation has been performed such that the fingeris slid and moved in the X-axial direction and also in the leftdirection on the dedicated area 54, the control and computing unit 13deletes, when there are the copied and consecutively input selectedcharacter strings 52 behind the selected character string 52, the copiedand consecutively input selected character strings 52 are deleted by anumber according to the movement distance of the finger. Thus,previously consecutively input selected character strings 52 aresuccessively deleted within the character display area 51 of the displayscreen 50.

Also, in the event of determining in step S126 that the movementdistance has reached the certain value in the Y-axial direction, andproceeding to the processing in step S151 in FIG. 38, the control andcomputing unit 13 changes the character string or the like to be pastedbehind the selected character string 52 according to the character typeat that time, and the movement distance and direction (positivedirection or negative direction). Specifically, in the case of this stepS151, the control and computing unit 13 changes the character string orthe like to be pasted behind the selected character string 52 dependingon whether the gesture operation as to the dedicated area 54 is, asshown in the correlation table in FIG. 20, any one of the verticaldirection operation or upper-right direction operation in the event thatthe character type is alphabetic, the upper-right direction operation inthe event that the character type is characters or symbols or the like,and the upper-right direction operation in the event that the charactertype is numeric.

Next, as processing in step S152 the control and computing unit 13pastes the character string or the like changed according to thecharacter type or the movement distance and direction behind theselected character string 52 using the editor.

Subsequently, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processingto step S132 in FIG. 36.

In this way, in the event that the processing proceeds to step S151 fromstep S126, determination is made in step S133 that the finger is notseparated, returns to step S123, further determination is made in stepS124 that the movement distance in the X-axial direction has reached thecertain value, determination is made in S125 that the movement directionis not the positive direction, and determination is made in step S126that the movement distance in the Y-axial direction has reached thecertain value, the control and computing unit 13 further pastes thecharacter string or the like changed according to the character type, orthe movement distance and direction behind the changed and pastedcharacter string or the like.

That is to say, the processing in step S123, step S124, step S125, stepS126, step S151, step S152, and step S132 is arranged to be repeatable.In other words, in the event that a gesture operation has been performedsuch that the finger is slid and moved in the X-axial direction and alsoin the right direction on the dedicated area 54, and the movementdistance at this time is equal to or greater than the certain value inthe X-axial direction, and also equal to or greater than the certainvalue in the Y-axial direction, and further, the character type at thistime and the gesture operation are set to the correlation table in FIG.20, the control and computing unit 13 consecutively pastes the characterstring or the like changed according to the character type, and themovement distance or direction of the gesture operation behind theselected character string 52. Thus, a sentence where the changedcharacter string or the like are consecutively input, or the like isdisplayed within the character display area 51 of the display screen 50.

Note that, describing in a more specific manner with reference to theexample in FIG. 20, for example, in the event that the character type isalphabetic, and the gesture operation is the vertical operation, thecontrol and computing unit 13 consecutively pastes character stringschanged to capital characters or small characters according to themovement in the vertical direction of the gesture operation. Also, forexample, in the event that the character type is characters or symbolsor the like, and the gesture operation is the upper-right directionoperation, the control and computing unit 13 consecutively pastescharacter strings where the sizes of the characters or symbols or thelike have been changed (increased) according to the movement in theupper-right direction of the gesture operation. Also, for example, inthe event that the character type is symbolic, and the gesture operationis the vertical direction operation, the control and computing unit 13consecutively pastes symbols while changing the symbols themselvesaccording to the movement in the vertical direction of the gestureoperation. Also, for example, in the event that the character type isalphabetic, and the gesture operation is the upper-right directionoperation, the control and computing unit 13 consecutively pastesalphabetic characters while changing the alphabetic characters in thealphabetic order according to the movement in the upper-right directionof the gesture operation. Also, for example, in the event that thecharacter type is numeric, and the gesture operation is the upper-rightdirection operation, the control and computing unit 13 consecutivelypastes numeric characters while changing the numeric characters in theascending order according to the movement in the upper-right directionof the gesture operation.

Also, in step S121 in FIG. 35, the slide gesture operation in the rightdirection has not been detected on the dedicated area, and accordingly,in the event of proceeding to the processing in step S161 in FIG. 39,the control and computing unit 13 determines whether or not the singletouch operation as to an area other than the specified area nor thededicated area has been detected. In the event that determination ismade in step S161 that the single touch operation has not been detected,the control and computing unit 13 returns the processing to step S4 inFIG. 23. On the other hand, in the event that the single touch operationhas been detected, the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S162.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S162, the control andcomputing unit 13 releases the range selection state of the selectedcharacter string 52, and also returns the operation mode of thisterminal from the object decoration editing mode to the normal sentencecreation and editing mode.

After the processing in step S162, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S2 in FIG. 23.

[Decoration Editing Control Operation Example as to Selected Object atTime of Image Editing]

The personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentenables the user's desired selected object on the display screen to besubjected to decoration according to the user's operations or editing orthe like as to the touch panel, for example, by cooperating with animage editor.

Hereafter, description will be made regarding operation at the time oftaking an image portion that the user has selected out of imagesdisplayed on the display as the selected object, and subjecting theselected object thereof to the user's desired decoration, editing, orthe like in the event that the personal digital assistant according tothe present embodiment is in the image editing mode by an image editorbeing activated, with reference to FIG. 40 through FIG. 53.

In the event that the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment is in the image editing mode, as shown in FIG. 40,let us say that an image is displayed on the image display area 70 ofthe display screen 50, and the image is in an editable state by theimage editor. Note that this image may be any kind of image such as animage where the actual world or the like is taken by a digital camera,an image generated by computer graphics software or the like, an imagemaking up a screen generated by browser software or the like.

With the present embodiment, in a state in which an image such as FIG.40 is displayed, for example, as shown in FIG. 41, let us say that theuser has performed a gesture operation for moving a finger in a state incontact on the touch panel so as to surround a desired image part 71 outthis image.

At this time, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment takes an area surrounded with the movement path of the fingeras a range selection area 72 by the user, and the image part 71(hereafter, referred to as selected image part 71 as appropriate) withinthe range selection area 72 thereof is recognized as the selectedobject. Also, the personal digital assistant at this time changes theoperation mode of the own terminal to the object decoration editing modeaccording to the present embodiment in the image editing mode.

The personal digital assistant which has changed to the objectdecoration editing mode at the time of this image editing mode sets thearea of the selected image part 72 and an adjacent area thereof as aspecified area. Note that, of this specified area, the adjacent area maybe a predetermined area having a fixed size with the area of theselected image part 72 as the center, an area in the place and with thesize determined by this terminal, or an area in the place and with thesize arbitrarily determined by the user. Also, the personal digitalassistant at this time correlates a gesture operation as to the touchpanel on the specified area with decoration content such as shown in thecorrelation table in FIG. 42, for example.

Specifically, the correlation table shown in FIG. 42 represents, in theobject decoration editing mode at the time of this image editing mode,correlation between a gesture operation that the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment can detect in thespecified area, a gesture operation that the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment can detect as a gesture operationbeginning from the specified area, and decoration content to besubjected as to the selected object (selected image part 72) when thesegesture operations are performed. Note that this correlation table inFIG. 42 may be loaded to the RAM of the memory unit 14 by activation ofthe information processing control program according to the presentembodiment for example, may be prepared on the rewritable ROM of thememory unit 14 separately from the information processing controlprogram, or may be prepared in a server or the like on a predeterminednetwork on the Internet and obtained by the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment as appropriate for example.

With this correlation table shown in FIG. 42, “PINCH-IN OPERATION” is agesture operation wherein in a state in which, with the specified area,two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, and the two fingersare moved in a direction where distance between the two fingers isnarrowed down. In the event that this pinch-in operation has beendetected on the specified area after transition has been made to theobject decoration editing mode, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment reduces the size of the selected image part 72by a reduction ratio corresponding to the movement distance of the twofingers according to this pinch-in operation.

Note that the movement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-inoperation can be obtained by subtracting the distance between the twocontact points on the touch panel before the pinch-in operation from thedistance between the two contact points on the touch panel after thepinch-in operation. Also, the reduction ratio of the selected image part71 can be calculated as a value for decreasing the size of the originalselected image part 71 by a percentage proportional to the movementdistance of the two fingers according to the pinch-in operation.

Subsequently, the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment causes the image editor to reduce the size of the selectedimage part 71 using the reduction ratio, and to paste on the imagedisplay area 70 so as to match the center position of a reduced selectedimage part 71 a thereof, and the center of the position where theoriginal selected image part 70 was displayed. Thus, the image displayedwithin the image display area 70 as shown in FIG. 41 becomes an imageobtained by reducing the selected image part 71 (71 a) using thereduction ratio according to the movement distance of the two fingers bythe pinch-in operation as shown in FIG. 43.

Note that in the event that the display image on the image display area70 is an image actually taken by a digital camera for example instead ofan image wherein a background image and each image object are configuredas layer configurations and are synthesized, such as a synthetic imageby computer graphics software for example, at the time of pasting thereduced selected image part 71 a on the image display area 70, it isdesirable to interpolate the background image around the selected imagepart 71 a thereof. Specifically, the original selected image part 71 andthis reduced selected image part 71 differs in size, and accordingly,upon the reduced selected image part 71 a being pasted on the positionwhere the original selected image part 71 is displayed without change,there may be generated an area including no image around the reducedselected image part 71 a due to size difference of these. Accordingly,at the time of pasting the reduced selected image part 71 a on the imagedisplay area 70, in the event that an area including no image occursaround the reduced selected image part 71 a, it is desirable to disposean image interpolated based on a peripheral image regarding the areathereof.

Also, with this correlation table shown in FIG. 42, “PINCH-OUTOPERATION” is a gesture operation wherein in a state in which, with thespecified area, two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, andthe two fingers are moved in a direction where distance between the twofingers is widened. In the event that this pinch-out operation has beendetected on the specified area after transition has been made to theobject decoration editing mode, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment increases the size of the selected image part72 by a scale of enlargement corresponding to the movement distance ofthe two fingers according to this pinch-out operation.

Note that the movement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-outoperation can be obtained by subtracting the distance between the twocontact points on the touch panel before the pinch-out operation fromthe distance between the two contact points on the touch panel after thepinch-out operation. Also, the scale of enlargement of the selectedimage part 71 can be calculated as a value for increasing the size ofthe original selected image part 71 by a percentage proportional to themovement distance of the two fingers according to the pinch-outoperation. Subsequently, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment causes the image editor to enlarge the size of theselected image part 71 using the scale of enlargement, and to paste onthe image display area 70 so as to match the center position of anenlarged selected image part 71 b thereof, and the center of theposition where the original selected image part 70 was displayed. Thus,the image displayed within the image display area 70 as shown in FIG. 41becomes an image obtained by enlarging the selected image part 71 (71 b)using the scale of enlargement according to the movement distance of thetwo fingers by the pinch-out operation as shown in FIG. 44.

Also, with this correlation table shown in FIG. 42, “DRAG OPERATION” istaken as a gesture operation wherein in a state in which one finger isin contact with on the touch panel, and the finger is moved in theuser's desired direction by the user's desired distance, and then thisfinger is stopped on or separated from the touch panel at the user'sdesired position. In the event that after transition has been made tothe object decoration editing mode, this drag operation has beendetected on the specified area such that the user's finger startscontact within the specified area and the finger thereof moves to theuser's desired position, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment copies the selected image part 71 and pastes on theposition where the finger has been stopped or separated by the dragoperation.

Thus, the image displayed within the image display area 70 as shown inFIG. 41 becomes, as shown in FIG. 45, an image made up of the originalselected image part 71, and the selected image part 71 c copied on theposition after the drag operation. Note that in the event that the dragoperation has been performed, the selected image part 71 may be moved tothe position after the drag operation instead of pasting the copiedselected image part 71 c, as shown in the example in FIG. 45. In theevent of moving the selected image part 71 in this way, it is desirableto dispose a background image or the like on the original area wherethis selected image part 71 was displayed, for example, usinginterpolation or the like.

Also, with this correlation table shown in FIG. 42, “ROTATING OPERATIONBY MULTI-TOUCH AND PINCH-IN OPERATION/PINCH-OUT OPERATION” is taken as agesture operation combined, in a state in which two fingers are incontact with on the touch panel, from an operation such that one fingeris taken as the rotation center, and the other finger is rotated andmoved, and an operation such that distance between the one fingerserving as the rotation center and the other finger which rotates andmoves is changed. In the event that the rotating operation bymulti-touch has been detected on the specified area after transition hasbeen made to the object decoration editing mode, the personal digitalassistant according to the present embodiment sets the hue of theselected image part 71 to a value according to the rotation angle of therotating operation. Also, in the event that the pinch-in operation orpinch-out operation has been detected along with the detection of therotating operation, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment sets the saturation of the selected image part 71according to the movement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-inoperation or pinch-out operation.

Thus, the image displayed within the image display area 70 as shown inFIG. 41 is, as shown in FIG. 46, an image where the selected image part71 alone is set to the hue according to the rotation angle by therotating operation, and also set to the saturation according to themovement distance of the two fingers by the pinch-in or pinch-outoperation. Note that, with this example, the hue according to therotation angle, and the saturation according to the movement distance ofthe two fingers can be obtained, in the same way as described above inFIG. 17 through FIG. 19, using the circular region 60 representing thehue and saturation in the HSV space.

With the correlation table in FIG. 42, “SINGLE-TOUCH OPERATION AT APORTION OTHER THAN THE SPECIFIED AREA” is taken as a gesture operationsuch that, with an area other than the specified area, one finger is incontact with on the touch panel only for a short time, and immediatelyseparated therefrom, for example. In the event that the single touchoperation has been detected on an area other than the specified areaafter transition has been made to the object decoration editing mode,the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentreleases the range selection of the selected image part 71, and alsoreturns the operation mode of this terminal from the object decorationediting mode to the normal image editing mode.

[Processing Flow at Time of Image Editing Execution by InformationProcessing Control Program According to Present Embodiment]

Hereafter, description will be made regarding a flowchart at the time ofthe personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentexecuting the information processing control program to performprocessing such as decoration or editing or the like of a selected imagepart, as described above. The information processing control programaccording to the present embodiment may be prepared at the time offactory shipment of the personal digital assistant, or may be separatelyobtained via the radio communication, external input/output terminal, orvarious types of storage medium such as external memory, disc-formrecording medium, and so forth.

FIG. 47 through FIG. 51 illustrate a processing flow at the time of thecontrol and computing unit 13 of the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment executing the information processingcontrol program according to the present embodiment. Note that theinformation processing control program in this case may be activatedaccording to instructions from the user, or may automatically beactivated according to activation of an image editor.

With the flowchart in FIG. 47, let us say that as step S201 the personaldigital assistant according to the present embodiment has alreadyactivated the above-described image editor, and is in the image editingmode.

In the event that the image editing mode has been set, as step S202 upondetecting that a user's desired area within an image on the imagedisplay area 70 has been selected as shown in the above-described FIG.41 by range selection through a gesture operation such as surroundingthe desired image part 71 on the touch panel 30, the control andcomputing unit 13 advances the processing to processing in step S203.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S203, the control andcomputing unit 13 changes the operation mode of this terminal to theobject decoration editing mode in the image editing mode.

Upon proceeding to the object decoration editing mode, the control andcomputing unit 13 sets the selected image part 71 according to the rangeselection, and an adjacent area thereof on the touch panel 30 as theabove-described specified area. The control and computing unit 13 thensets the specified area on the touch panel 30 as an area for detectingeach gesture operation described in the correlation table in theabove-described FIG. 42, and becomes an input waiting state of a gestureoperation as to this specified area by the user.

Next, upon detecting a gesture operation on the specified area, asprocessing in step S205 the control and computing unit 13 determineswhether or not the gesture operation thereof is the pinch-in operationset to the correlation table in the above-described FIG. 42. In theevent that determination is made in the determination processing in stepS205 that the gesture operation is the pinch-in operation, the controland computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S206, and in theevent that determination is made that the gesture operation is not thepinch-in operation, advances the processing to step S211 in FIG. 48.

Upon proceeding to step S206 after determination is made in step S205that the gesture operation is the pinch-in operation, the control andcomputing unit 13 subtracts distance between two contact points on thetouch panel by two fingers before this pinch-in operation from distancebetween the two contact points on the touch panel by the two fingersafter this pinch-in operation, thereby calculating the movement distanceof the two fingers by this pinch-in operation.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS207, and calculates a reduction ratio proportional to the movementdistance of the two fingers by the pinch-in operation.

Further, as processing in step S208, the control and computing unit 13generates a selected image part 71 a obtained by reducing the selectedimage part 71 according to the reduction ratio through the image editor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S209 the control and computing unit13 displays the selected image part 71 a after the reduction on theimage display area 70 through the image editor. Note that, at this time,in the event that interpolation of a background image and so forth isnecessary as described above, the control and computing unit 13 alsoperforms this interpolation processing.

After the processing in step S209, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S204.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S211 in FIG. 48 afterdetermination is made in step S205 that the gesture operation is not thepinch-in operation, the control and computing unit 13 determines whetheror not the gesture operation detected on the specified area is thepinch-out operation set to the correlation table in the above-describedFIG. 42. In the event that determination is made in the determinationprocessing in step S211 that the detected gesture operation is thepinch-out operation, the control and computing unit 13 advances theprocessing to step S212, and in the event that determination is madethat the detected gesture operation is not the pinch-out operation,advances the processing to step S221 in FIG. 49.

Upon proceeding to step S212 after determination is made that thedetected gesture is the pinch-out operation in step S211, the controland computing unit 13 subtracts distance between two contact points onthe touch panel by two fingers before this pinch-out operation fromdistance between the two contact points on the touch panel by the twofingers after this pinch-out operation, thereby calculating the movementdistance of the two fingers by this pinch-out operation.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS213, and calculates a scale of enlargement proportional to the movementdistance of the two fingers by the pinch-out operation.

Further, as processing in step S214, the control and computing unit 13generates a selected image part 71 b obtained by enlarging the selectedimage part 71 according to the scale of enlargement through the imageeditor.

Subsequently, as processing in step S215 the control and computing unit13 displays the selected image part 71 b after the enlargement on theimage display area 70 through the image editor.

After the processing in step S214, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S204 in FIG. 47.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S221 in FIG. 49 afterdetermination is made in step S211 that the gesture operation is not thepinch-out operation, the control and computing unit 13 determineswhether or not the gesture operation detected on the specified area isthe drag operation set to the correlation table in the above-describedFIG. 42. In the event that determination is made in the determinationprocessing in step S221 that the detected gesture operation is the dragoperation, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing tostep S222, and in the event that determination is made that the detectedgesture operation is not the drag operation, advances the processing tostep S231 in FIG. 50.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S222 after determination is madein step S221 that the gesture operation is the drag operation, thecontrol and computing unit 13 copies (or moves) the selected image part71 c to the position where the finger after this drag operation has beenstopped or separated.

After this processing in step S222, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S204 in FIG. 47.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S231 in FIG. 50 afterdetermination is made in step S221 that the gesture operation is not thedrag operation, the control and computing unit 13 determines whether ornot the gesture operation detected on the specified area is the rotatingoperation by multi-touch set to the correlation table in theabove-described FIG. 42. In the event that determination is made in thedetermination processing in step S231 that the detected gestureoperation is the rotating operation by multi-touch, the control andcomputing unit 13 advances the processing to step S232, and in the eventthat determination is made that the detected gesture operation is notthe rotating operation by multi-touch, advances the processing to stepS241 in FIG. 51.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S232 after determination is madein step S231 that the gesture operation is the rotating operation bymulti-touch, with the circular region 60 representing the hue andsaturation of the HSV space as described above, the control andcomputing unit 13 changes the hue of the selected image part 71according to a rotation angle at the time of rotating the other fingerwith the one finger serving as the rotation center, and calculates theR, G, and B values after change thereof.

Next, as processing in step S233 the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operationhas been detected on the specified area, advances the processing to stepS234 in the event that the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation hasbeen detected, and advances the processing to step S236 in the eventthat neither of these has been detected.

Upon proceeding to processing in step S234 after determination is madein step S233 that the pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation has beendetected, the control and computing unit 13 subtracts, from distancebetween two contact points on the touch panel by the two fingers afterthis pinch-in operation or pinch-out operation, distance between twocontact points on the touch panel by the two fingers before the pinch-inoperation or pinch-out operation, thereby calculating the movementdistance of the two fingers by this pinch-in operation or pinch-outoperation.

Next, the control and computing unit 13 advances the processing to stepS235, changes the saturation of the selected image part 71 according tothe movement distance of the two fingers, and calculates the R, G, and Bvalues after change thereof. After the processing in step S235, thecontrol and computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S236.

Upon proceeding to step S236, the control and computing unit 13 changesthe hue and saturation of the selected image part 71 by the R, G, and Bvalues calculated in step S232 and step S235, and displays a selectedimage part 71 d after the change thereof on the image display area 70,through the image editor.

After the processing in step S236, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S204 in FIG. 47.

Also, upon proceeding to processing in step S241 in FIG. 51 afterdetermination is made in step S231 that the gesture operation is not therotating operation by multi-touch, the control and computing unit 13determines whether or not the single touch operation as to an area otherthan the specified area nor the dedicated area has been detected. In theevent that determination is made in step S241 that the single touchoperation has not been detected, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S204 in FIG. 47. On the other hand, inthe event that the single touch operation has been detected, the controland computing unit 13 advances the processing to step S242.

Upon proceeding to the processing in step S242, the control andcomputing unit 13 releases the range selection state of the selectedimage part 71, and also returns the operation mode of this terminal fromthe object decoration editing mode to the normal image editing mode.

After the processing in step S242, the control and computing unit 13returns the processing to step S202 in FIG. 47.

[Another Example of Correlation Table Between Gesture Operations andDecoration Editing Contents at Time of Image Editing]

With the personal digital assistant according to the present embodiment,a correlation table between gesture operations and decoration editingcontents used in the object decoration editing mode at the time of theimage editing mode may be a table as shown in FIG. 52, for example.

Specifically, the example in FIG. 52 is an example given regarding atable conforming to the above-described correlation table in FIG. 4 as acorrelation table at the time of the object decoration editing mode inthe image editing mode. It goes without saying that this correlationtable example is merely an example, and the present disclosure is notrestricted to this example.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “PINCH-IN OPERATION INVERTICAL DIRECTION” is a gesture operation wherein in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, the two fingers aremoved so that one finger approaches from above on the image display area70, and the other finger approaches from below, thereby narrowing downdistance between the two fingers. In the event that this pinch-inoperation in the vertical direction has been detected on the specifiedarea, the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentreduces the selected image part 71 by a reduction ratio corresponding tothe movement distance of the two fingers.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “PINCH-OUT OPERATION INVERTICAL DIRECTION” is a gesture operation wherein in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, the two fingers aremoved so that one finger separates upward on the image display area 70,and the other finger separates downward, thereby widening distancebetween the two fingers. In the event that this pinch-out operation inthe vertical direction has been detected on the specified area, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment enlargesthe selected image part 71 by a scale of enlargement corresponding tothe movement distance of the two fingers.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “DRAG OPERATION” is thesame as the above-described drag operation in FIG. 42.

With the correlation table in FIG. 52, “FLICK OPERATION” is a gestureoperation wherein one finger is in contact with on the touch panel, andthen the finger thereof is flicked toward the user's desired direction.In the event that the flick operation has been detected on the specifiedarea, the personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentscrolls the selected image part 71 to the direction where the finger wasflicked at the time of the flick operation within the image display area70.

With the correlation table in FIG. 52, “BOTH-WAY FLICK OPERATION” is agesture operation wherein after one finger is in contact with on thetouch panel, the finger is moved in the user's desired direction, andthen the finger is flicked in the opposite direction of the movementdirection thereof. In the event that the both-way flick operation hasbeen detected on the specified area, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment scrolls the selected image part 71to the direction where the finger was moved and flicked at the time ofthe both-way flick operation within the image display area 70.

With the correlation table in FIG. 52, “DOUBLE CLICK OPERATION” is agesture operation wherein after one finger is in contact with on thetouch panel over a short period of time, an operation for separating thefinger is repeated twice. In the event that the double click operationhas been detected on the specified area, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment displays the selected image part 71with blinking.

With the correlation table in FIG. 52, “PINCH-OUT OPERATION INHORIZONTAL DIRECTION” is a gesture operation wherein in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, the two fingers aremoved so that one finger is separated in the right direction on theimage display area 70, and the other finger is separated in the leftdirection, thereby widening distance between the two fingers. In theevent that the pinch-out operation in the horizontal direction has beendetected on the specified area, the personal digital assistant accordingto the present embodiment blurs the selected image part 71 based, on avalue according to the movement distance of the two fingers.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “PINCH-IN OPERATION INHORIZONTAL DIRECTION” is a gesture operation wherein in a state in whichtwo fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, the two fingers aremoved so that one finger approaches from the right direction on theimage display area 70, and the other finger approaches from the leftdirection, thereby narrowing down distance between the two fingers. Inthe event that this pinch-in operation in the horizontal direction hasbeen detected on the specified area, the personal digital assistantaccording to the present embodiment enhances the outline of the selectedimage part 71 based on a value according to the movement distance of thetwo fingers.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “PARALLEL SHIFT OPERATIONIN RIGHT DIRECTION BY MULTI-TOUCH” is a gesture operation wherein in astate in which two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, thetwo fingers are moved in the right direction within the image displayarea 70 while maintaining generally the interval between the twofingers. In the event that the parallel shift operation in the rightdirection by multi-touch has been detected on the specified area, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment inclinesthe selected image part 71 right obliquely.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “PARALLEL SHIFT OPERATIONIN LEFT DIRECTION BY MULTI-TOUCH” is a gesture operation wherein in astate in which two fingers are in contact with on the touch panel, thetwo fingers are moved in the left direction within the image displayarea 70 while maintaining generally the interval between the twofingers. In the event that the parallel shift operation in the leftdirection by multi-touch has been detected on the specified area, thepersonal digital assistant according to the present embodiment inclinesthe selected image part 71 left obliquely.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “ROTATING OPERATION BYMULTI-TOUCH AND PINCH-IN OPERATION/PINCH-OUT OPERATION” is the same asthe above-described rotating operation by multi-touch and the pinch-inoperation/pinch-out operation in FIG. 42. Note that decoration andediting contents by the rotating operation by multi-touch and thepinch-in operation/pinch-out operation may be rotating the selectedimage part 71 according to the rotating operation by multi-touch, forexample. Also, in the event that the pinch-in operation/pinch-outoperation has been performed along with the rotating operation bymulti-touch, there may be decoration and editing contents such that theselected image part 71 is rotated according to the rotating operation,and also the selected image part 71 is reduced/enlarged according to thepinch-in operation/pinch-out operation.

With the correlation table shown in FIG. 52, “SINGLE-TOUCH OPERATION ATA PORTION OTHER THAN THE SPECIFIED AREA” is the same as theabove-described single touch operation in FIG. 42.

Alternatively, with the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment, in accordance with the above-described example inFIG. 20, in response to a gesture operation as to the dedicated area,the user is also allowed to consecutively paste, while copying theselected image part, copied selected image part.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

As described above, the personal digital assistant according to thepresent embodiment includes a display unit having a screen; a touchpanel unit capable of detecting a gesture operation by a user as to atouch detection surface; a correlation table control unit configured togenerate or store a correlation table in which a plurality ofinformation processes that can be subjected as to an object displayed onthe screen of the display unit, and a plurality of gesture operationsare correlated respectively; and a processing control unit configured tosubject, at the time of a desired object being selected by a user on thescreen of the display unit, and one of the plurality of gestureoperations being detected, the selected object to an information processcorrelated with the detected gesture operation thereof, and to displaythe selected object on the screen.

The personal digital assistant according to the present embodimentincludes a detection area control unit configured to set, at the time ofa desired object being selected by a user on the screen of the displayunit, a plurality of gesture operations correlated with the correlationtable regarding each information process that can be subjected as tothis selected object to a gesture operation that can be detected in apredetermined detection area on the touch detection surface of the touchpanel unit, and the processing control unit subjects, at the time of oneof the plurality of gesture operations being detected at the touchdetection surface, the selected object to an information processcorrelated with the detected gesture operation thereof, and displays theselected object on the screen.

Here, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, the touch detection surface of the touch panel unit is madeup of a transparent touch screen which is disposed so as to covergenerally the entire surface of the screen of the display unit. Also,with the personal digital assistant according to the present embodiment,the detection area control unit may set the predetermined detection areato an area generally correlated with the display area of the selectedobject on the screen of a display unit.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the correlation tablecontrol unit generates or stores a correlation table in which a sizechange process for changing the size of the object, and a gestureoperation for changing distance between two touch points on the touchdetection surface are correlated, and the processing control unitchanges, at the time of a gesture operation for changing distancebetween the two touch points on the touch detection surface, the size ofthe selected object according to change of distance between the twotouch points, and displays the selected object on the screen.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the correlation tablecontrol unit generates or stores a correlation table in which a processfor moving the object on the screen, and a gesture operation for movinga touch point on the touch detection surface are correlated, and theprocessing control unit moves and displays, at the time of a gestureoperation for moving the touch point being detected on the touchdetection surface, the selected object on the screen according to themovement of the touch point.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the correlation tablecontrol unit generates or stores a correlation table in which a processfor blinking the object on the screen, and a gesture operation forrepeating a touch on the touch detection surface over a short period oftime are correlated, and the processing control unit blinks anddisplays, at the time of a gesture operation for repeating a touch overthe short period of time being detected on the touch detection surface,the selected object on the screen.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the correlation tablecontrol unit generates or stores a correlation table in which a processfor obliquely inclining the object on the screen, and a gestureoperation for moving two touch points on the touch detection surface inparallel are correlated, and the processing control unit obliquelyinclines and displays, at the time of a gesture operation for moving thetouch points in parallel on the touch detection surface, the selectedobject on the screen.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the correlation tablecontrol unit generates or stores a correlation table in which a huechanging process for changing the hue of the object, and a gestureoperation for rotating two touch points on the touch detection surfaceare correlated, and also a saturation changing process for changing thesaturation of the object, and a gesture operation for changing distancebetween two points on the touch detection surface are correlated, andthe processing control unit changes, at the time of a gesture forrotating the two touch points being detected on the touch detectionsurface, the hue of the selected object according to the rotations ofthe two touch points, and changes, at the time of a gesture operationfor changing distance between the two points being detected on the touchdetection surface, the saturation of the selected object according tothe change of the distance between the two points.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, an arrangement may be made wherein the detection areacontrol unit sets, at the time of a predetermined gesture operationbeing detected on the predetermined detection area, a plurality ofgesture operations separately correlated with the correlation table aseach information process that can be subjected as to the selected objectto a gesture operation that can be detected on another detection areadifferent from a predetermined detection area on the touch detectionsurface of the touch panel unit, and the processing control unitsubjects, at the time of one of the gesture operations being detected onthe other detection area, the selected object to an information processcorrelated with the detected gesture operation thereof, and displays theselected object on the screen.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, the correlation table control unit may generate or store acorrelation table in which a decoration process that can be subjected asto a character serving as the object, and the plurality of gestureoperations are correlated.

Also, with the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment, the correlation table control unit may generate or store acorrelation table in which a decoration process that can be subjected asto an image part serving as the object, and the plurality of gestureoperations are correlated.

Further, embodiments of the present disclosure include an informationprocessing control method. Specifically, an information processingcontrol method according to the present embodiment is an informationprocessing control method in a device including a display unit having ascreen, and a touch panel unit capable of detecting a gesture operationby a user as to a touch detection surface, the method including aprocess in which a correlation table control unit configured to generateor store a correlation table in which a plurality of informationprocesses that can be subjected as to an object displayed on the screenof the display unit, and a plurality of gesture operations arecorrelated respectively; and a process in which a processing controlunit configured to subject, at the time of a desired object beingselected by a user on the screen of the display unit, and any of theplurality of gesture operations being detected, the selected object toan information process correlated with the detected gesture operationthereof, and to display the selected object on the screen.

Also, embodiments of the present disclosure include an informationprocessing control program. Specifically, an information processingcontrol program according to the present embodiment is an informationprocessing control program that can be executed at an informationterminal including a display unit having a screen, and a touch panelunit capable of detecting a gesture operation by a user as to a touchdetection surface, the program causing a computer of the informationterminal to serve as a correlation table control unit configured togenerate or store a correlation table in which a plurality ofinformation processes that can be subjected as to an object displayed onthe screen of the display unit, and a plurality of gesture operationsare correlated respectively, and a processing control unit configured tosubject, at the time of a desired object being selected by a user on thescreen of the display unit, and any of the plurality of gestureoperations being detected, the selected object to an information processcorrelated with the detected gesture operation thereof, and to displaythe selected object on the screen.

Also, the present embodiment also includes a recording medium.Specifically, a recording medium according to the present embodiment isconfigured to record an information processing control program that canbe executed at an information terminal including a display unit having ascreen, and a touch panel unit capable of detecting a gesture operationby a user as to a touch detection surface. Specifically, a recordingmedium according to the present embodiment records an informationprocessing control program causing a computer of the informationterminal to serve as a correlation table control unit configured togenerate or store a correlation table in which a plurality ofinformation processes that can be subjected as to an object displayed onthe screen of the display unit, and a plurality of gesture operationsare correlated respectively, and a processing control unit configured tosubject, at the time of a desired object being selected by a user on thescreen of the display unit, and any of the plurality of gestureoperations being detected, the selected object to an information processcorrelated with the detected gesture operation thereof, and to displaythe selected object on the screen.

According to the present embodiment, an information processing controldevice including a touch panel on a display screen uses the correlationtable in which a gesture operation and each decoration content orediting content are correlated to subject a user's desired selectedobject on the screen to decoration or editing or the like according tothe user's gesture operation, thereby enabling the user's work to bereduced, and enabling the user's burden to be markedly reduced. In otherwords, with the present embodiment, parameters relating to decoration orparameters relating to editing to be subjected as to the selected objectcan be changed according to the movement direction, movement speed,movement amount (movement distance), movement path, or the like of afinger at the time of a gesture operation as appropriate, whereby theselected object can be subjected to more intuitive decoration or editingin accordance with the user's intention, and the user's effort and timeat the time of performing such decoration or editing or the like can bemarkedly reduced as compared to the related art.

Note that the personal digital assistant according to the presentembodiment may be applied to, in addition to high-performance portabletelephone terminals, tablet terminals, or slate PCs, not only portableterminals, for example, such as so-called PDAs (Personal DigitalAssistants), notebook-sized personal computers, portable game machines,portable navigation terminals, and so forth, but also various stationaryelectronic devices including a touch panel.

Also, the description of the above embodiment is an example of thepresent disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is notrestricted to the above-described embodiment, and various modificationscan be made according to a design or the like without departing from thetechnical idea relating to the present disclosure.

Further, it is apparent that one skilled in the art can conceive variousmodifications, combinations, and other embodiments due to a design orother elements within the scope of the Claims of the present disclosureor equivalent to the Claims.

1. An information processing device comprising: a display; a touch panelthat detects a gesture operation; a memory that stores a correlationbetween each of a plurality of effects that can be applied to an objectdisplayed on the display and one of a plurality of gesture operations;and a processor that applies one of the plurality of effects thatcorresponds to the detected gesture operation to an object displayed onthe display, and controls the display to display the object to which theone of the plurality effects is applied.
 2. The information processingdevice of claim 1, wherein the correlation stored in the memory is atable correlating each of the plurality of effects to one of theplurality of gesture operations.
 3. The information processing device ofclaim 1, wherein the processor generates the correlation between each ofthe plurality of effects and one of the plurality of gesture operations.4. The information processing device of claim 1, wherein the touch paneldetects an input selecting the object and the processor sets apredetermined area on the touch panel on which the gesture operation maybe detected based on the input selecting the object.
 5. The informationprocessing device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a correlationbetween a size change effect for changing a size of the object and apinch gesture operation defined by a change in distance between twotouch points on the touch panel, and the processor controls the displayto change a size of the object based on the change in distance betweenthe two touch points on the touch panel.
 6. The information processingdevice of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a correlation between amovement effect for moving the object and a drag gesture operationdefined by a movement of a touch input on the touch panel in adirection, and the processor controls the display to move the object inthe direction corresponding to the movement of the touch input on thetouch panel.
 7. The information processing device of claim 1, whereinthe object is a character string and the memory stores a correlationbetween a justifying effect for left or right justifying the characterstring and a drag gesture operation defined by a movement of a touchinput on the touch panel in a right or left horizontal direction, andthe processor controls the display to display the character string leftor right justified based on the movement of the touch input in the leftor right horizontal direction.
 8. The information processing device ofclaim 1, wherein the object is a character string and the memory storesa correlation between a scrolling operation for scrolling the characterstring and a flick gesture operation defined by a movement of a touchinput on the touch panel in a direction, and the processor controls thedisplay to scroll the character string in a direction corresponding tothe movement of the touch input.
 9. The information processing device ofclaim 1, wherein the memory stores a correlation between a blinkingeffect for causing the object to blink and a double click operationdefined by detecting two individual touch inputs on the display within apredetermined time period, and the processor controls the display tocause the object to blink upon detecting the double click operation. 10.The information processing device of claim 1, wherein the object is acharacter string and the memory stores a correlation between a boldcharacter effect of bolding the characters in the character string and apinch out gesture defined by an increase in distance between two touchinputs on the touch panel in a horizontal direction, and the processorcontrols the display to display the character string with boldcharacters upon detecting the pinch out gesture.
 11. The informationprocessing device of claim 1, wherein the object is a character stringand the memory stores a correlation between an italicize charactereffect of italicizing the characters in the character string and aparallel shift operation defined by parallel movement of two touchinputs on the touch panel in a horizontal direction, and the processorcontrols the display to display the character string with italicizedcharacters upon detecting the parallel shift operation.
 12. Theinformation processing device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores acorrelation between a hue and saturation changing effect for changing ahue and a saturation of an object and a rotation gesture operationdefined by rotating two touch inputs on the touch panel, and theprocessor controls the display to change a hue of the object based on anamount of rotation of the two touch inputs and change a saturation ofthe object based on a change in distance between the two touch inputs.13. The information processing device of claim 1, wherein the object isa character string and the memory stores a correlation between a copyeffect for copying the character string and a horizontal drag gesturedefined by movement of a touch input on the touch panel in a righthorizontal direction, and the processor controls the display to displaya duplicate of the character string next to the character string upondetecting the horizontal drag gesture.
 14. The information processingdevice of claim 1, wherein the object is a character string and thememory stores a correlation between a deletion effect for deleting thecharacter string and a horizontal drag gesture defined by movement of atouch input on the touch panel in a left horizontal direction, and theprocessor controls the display to delete the character string upondetecting the horizontal drag gesture.
 15. The information processingdevice of claim 1, wherein the object is a character string and thememory stores a correlation between an effect of changing a case ofcharacters in the character string and a vertical direction gesturedefined by movement of a touch input in an upper vertical direction, andthe processor controls the display to change the case of the charactersupon detecting the vertical direction gesture.
 16. The informationprocessing device of claim 1, wherein the object is a character stringand the memory stores a correlation between an effect of changing a sizeof characters in the character string and vertical direction gesturedefined by movement of a touch input in an upper or lower verticaldirection, and the processor controls the display to change the size ofthe characters proportional to the vertical direction gesture.
 17. Theinformation processing device of claim 1, wherein the object is a stringof symbols and the memory stores a correlation between an effect ofchanging symbols in the string of symbols and a vertical directiongesture defined by movement of a touch input in an upper verticaldirection, and the processor controls the display to change symbols inthe string of symbols upon detecting the vertical direction gesture. 18.A method performed by an information processing apparatus, the methodcomprising: storing, in a memory of the information processingapparatus, a correlation between each of a plurality of effects appliedto an object displayed on a display and one of a plurality of gestureoperations; detecting, by a touch panel of the information processingapparatus, a gesture operation; applying, by a processor of theinformation processing apparatus, one of the plurality of effects thatcorresponds to the detected gesture operation to an object displayed onthe display; and controlling, by the processor, the display to displaythe object to which the one of the plurality effects is applied.
 19. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-programinstructions, which when executed by an information processingapparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform amethod comprising: storing a correlation between each of a plurality ofeffects applied to an object displayed on a display and one of aplurality of gesture operations; detecting a gesture operation at atouch panel of the information processing apparatus; applying one of theplurality of effects that corresponds to the detected gesture operationto an object displayed on the display; and controlling the display todisplay the object to which the one of the plurality effects is applied.